Inter Milan’s Champions League ambitions suffered a stunning collapse Tuesday night, falling to a 2-1 defeat against Bodø/Glimt at San Siro and a 5-2 aggregate loss in the playoff round. The result marks a significant low point for the Italian giants, who reached two Champions League finals in the past three years.
Despite dominating possession, Inter failed to break down the resilient Norwegian side, succumbing to a high-quality, high-speed attack. Jens Petter Hauge scored the decisive goal for Bodø/Glimt, adding to their existing 3-1 lead from the first leg, before Håkon Evjen sealed the victory with a counter-attacking strike.
Inter coach Cristian Chivu acknowledged his team’s shortcomings after the match, stating, “We tried everything we could,” but lamented the difficulty in creating scoring opportunities. “The hardest thing was to create an opening,” Inter’s Nicolò Barella added, describing a prolonged period of fruitless effort.
Chivu attributed the defeat, in part, to a lack of energy and competitiveness, noting that Bodø/Glimt, whose domestic league is currently in its off-season, appeared fresher than his squad battling on multiple fronts in Serie A and the Coppa Italia. “We were up against a very well-organised team with a low defensive block, keeping 10-11 players behind the ball,” Chivu told Sky Sport Italia. “Probably the fact we didn’t break the deadlock gave them extra psychological comfort.”
The absence of key players Lautaro Martínez and Hakan Calhanoglu proved critical for Inter. Chivu revealed that Martínez sustained a “quite seriously” injury in the first leg, the extent of which remains unknown, and will be a significant loss for the team.
The upset continues a remarkable run for Bodø/Glimt, drawing comparisons to IFK Gothenburg, the last Scandinavian team to achieve significant European success in the 1980s. The Norwegian side’s performance has also been noted by other European powerhouses, having previously stunned Manchester City in the group stage earlier this season.
Elsewhere in the Champions League playoffs, Galatasaray advanced to the last 16 after a 5-5 aggregate draw with Juventus, winning on away goals after a controversial extra-time period. The match was marred by a disputed red card issued to Juventus’ Lloyd Kelly via VAR, a decision that sparked outrage and ultimately contributed to Juventus’ elimination. Weston McKennie scored a late equalizer for Juventus, but they ultimately succumbed to fatigue and a third red card in four matches.
Atalanta secured their place in the last 16 with a 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund, overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit. A bizarre finish saw Dortmund defender Ramy Bensebaini sent off for a dangerous challenge in the penalty area, allowing Lazar Samardžić to score a decisive penalty in added time.
Real Madrid also progressed, defeating Benfica 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Vinícius Júnior scoring the winning goal. The tie was overshadowed by accusations of racial abuse directed at Vinícius during the first leg, an issue that remains under investigation.
Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland, will determine the pairings for the last 16, with potential matchups including Paris Saint-Germain against either Barcelona or Chelsea, and Galatasaray facing Liverpool or Tottenham.
