Two teams, desperately needing a win to revive their UEFA Champions League hopes, take on each other as Juventus travel to Aspmyra Stadion to face Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday.
Kjetil Knutsen has a big task on his hands to make something out of this UEFA Champions League campaign, as Bodo/Glimt could be on the verge of elimination if results do not go their way, including in the game against Juventus. The Norwegian side have managed to collect only two points from their four games so far.
Sitting outside of the top-24 places, the Norwegian outfit are already in must-win territory, as this upcoming clash against Juventus will be crucial. Draws in their opening two games against Slavia Praha and Tottenham Hotspur did provide some bit of optimism for their fans, who were eager to see how the campaign pans out.
Those results did not galvanise the team, who have since lost out to Galatasaray and AS Monaco. With only two points to show for their efforts, there is still every hope for Bodo/Glimt to get back into the top-24, but only if they can get something from the Juventus game, considering they play Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, and Atletico Madrid next.
Meanwhile, Juventus are not far off from their Norwegian opposition, with the Bianconeri are currently struggling for relevance on all fronts this season. Back in Italy, the Turin giants are steadily slipping out of the title conversation following yet another fruitless draw, this time against a struggling Fiorentina side.
Drawing games was the theme for Juventus last season, and that has carried forward into the new campaign. Last season, it was Thiago Motta who lost his job because of such results, and this term, Igor Tudor has already fallen prey to the curse. New boss Luciano Spalletti is yet to fully the team into new heights, as this trip to Bodo/Glimt could be a good chance to begin a good run.
Juventus have drawn three and lost one of their four games in the Champions League so far; the Bianconeri desperately need a win to revive their campaign. The trip to Norway might be a good place to start, given they have decent fixtures against Pafos, Benfica, and AS Monaco, which are somewhat better compared to the four games they have played so far, as a top-24 finish is the bare minimum requirement.
Team News & Tactics
Bodo/Glimt
Bodo/Glimt will be without Jostein Gundersen for this clash as he must serve a suspension after being sent off against AS Monaco in the team’s most recent UEFA Champions League game.
They are also without backup forward Ola Brynhildsen is also out of contention with a knee problem. Beyond that, manager Kjetil Knutsen could have a full squad to select from.
The manager had rested Jens Petter Hauge at the weekend, meaning he could start in midweek, and in support of Kasper Hogh in the frontline, where Sondre Auklend will also feature. Patrick Berg will play at the base of the midfield, with Hakon and Sondre Fet on either side.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3) – Haikin; Sjovold, Moe, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Fet; Auklend, Hogh, Hauge
Juventus
Luciano Spalletti has already hinted at making changes for the midweek trip to Norway, as fans will be curious to see what he actually does. Injury-wise, Gleison Bremer remains sidelined alongside Arkadiusz Milik. However, Daniele Rugani. Juan Cabal, and Lloyd Kelly are back fit, and the defensive duo could start in Norway.
At the back, Spalletti is yet to play his preferred back-four setup, and he is likely to continue with a back-three, with Pierre Kalulu and Federico Gatti likely to play alongside Kelly there. Andrea Cambiaso and Cabal are set to feature in the wing-back roles, with Manuel Locatelli and Teun Koopmeiners sandwiched in the central midfield spots.
Edon Zgehrova and Kenan Yildiz are likely to support the central striker from their respective attacking positions, with Spalletti likely to choose Jonathan David over Lois Openda or Dusan Vlahovic to lead the line for Juventus against Bodo/Glimt.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Gatti, Kelly; Cabal, Locatelli, Koopmeiners, Cambiaso; Zhegrova, Yildiz; David
Key Stats
- Bodo/Glimt and Juventus are set to meet for the very first time.
- Bodo/Glimt are yet to win a game in this Champions League campaign. Tuesday’s match will be the 14th time that they will face an Italian opponent in Europe (P13 W4 D1 L8).
- Juventus are yet to win a game in this season’s Champions League. They will face a Norwegian opponent in European competition for the first time since the 2001/02 campaign; they drew 1-1 away to Rosenborg, before beating them 1-0 on home soil in the group stage that season.
- Juventus are winless in their last five Champions League games. In fact, the Bianconeri have recorded only one victory in their last 12 away matches in the UEFA Champions League (D5 L6), with that lone win coming at RB Leipzig in October 2024 (3-2). They had won five of their six games on the road in the competition prior to these last 12 (L1).
- Dusan Vlahovic is the only Juventus player with multiple goals in the UEFA Champions League this season (3). If he scores here, he will become the eighth Juventus player to reach double figures for goals in the competition (currently on 9), and first since Alvaro Morata in November 2020.
Player to Watch
Jonathan David
Performances are key in this sport, and in Juventus’s case, the players are not at the required levels yet. Hence, this group of players have a chance to impress the new manager, and David will certainly be looking at taking the chances.
The lack of goals in the team brings about opportunities for forwards like David and Lois Openda, with the former likely to be tasked with the chance to perform against Qarabag. Juventus have to achieve a big result, and goals will matter, as all eyes will be on the Canadian ahead of this upcoming game.
Prediction
Bodo/Glimt 1-2 Juventus
Bodo/Glimt are in a surprisingly better position than many would have thought they would be, but the upcoming games could potentially end their UEFA Champions League campaign. They have some tough fixtures ahead, and with Juventus desperate for relevance in the competition, this could be a bad night for the Norwegians.
Juventus are winless in the UEFA Champions League so far, but they now desperately need a big win under their belt. The Bianconeri are expected to collect the points, although they may not put in the smashing performances that their fans might be hoping.
