Image Credits: Imago Images
Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt pulled off one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history by eliminating last season’s finalists Inter Milan to reach the last 16 for the first time.
At the San Siro, Jens Petter Hauge opened the scoring and set up Hakon Evjen’s second as the visitors claimed a stunning 3-1 win in the first leg. They will now face either Manchester City or Sporting CP in the last 16.
Despite Inter being three-time European champions and currently 10 points clear atop Serie A, Bodo, still in their Norwegian off-season, continued their giant-killing run. They had already defeated Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the group stage.
Inter dominated early at home, with Nikita Haikin making two crucial saves to keep his side in control. But in the 58th minute, Manuel Akanji lost possession to Ole Didrik Blomberg, whose shot was parried by Yann Sommer, only for Hauge to volley home the rebound, his sixth Champions League goal of the season, a record for a Norwegian at a Norwegian club in a single campaign.
Bodo doubled their lead in the 72nd minute when Hauge’s pass found Evjen, who finished superbly past goalkeeper Sommer. Alessandro Bastoni pulled one back for Inter shortly after, but the hosts could not recover.
Bodo became the first Norwegian club to reach the knockout stages since Lillestrom in 1987-88, completing a remarkable European triumph.
Nicolo Barella claims a “made-up” penalty awarded to Liverpool at the San Siro earlier this season is the reason Inter Milan have exited the Champions League.
The 29-year-old argued that if the Reds had not won that match thanks to a controversial spot-kick, converted by Dominik Szoboszlai, Inter would have secured a top-eight finish and automatically qualified for the last 16.
The incident saw Florian Wirtz go down under pressure from Alessandro Bastoni. After a VAR review, the referee awarded a penalty, a decision Barella feels contributed to Inter’s early exit from the competition.
“We tried but they were better,” Barella said in the aftermath of the defeat to the Norwegian side. “It is infuriating that we slipped out of the league phase by one point because they called a made-up penalty in the 90th minute [vs Liverpool].
“With that, we didn’t end up in the top eight. Without it, we would have avoided the two extra matches and the trip to Norway, but that is the new Champions League.”
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