Sporting CP will be eyeing a miracle when they take on dark horses Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night in the UEFA Champions League.
Sporting CP face a daunting challenge when they host Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Tuesday evening, needing a dramatic turnaround to keep their UEFA Champions League ambitions alive. The Portuguese side were comprehensively beaten in the first leg of this round of 16 clash, falling to a heavy 3-0 defeat in Norway in what was the first competitive meeting between the two clubs.
With the deficit leaving Sporting on the brink of elimination, Ruben Amorim’s side must now attempt a comeback of rare proportions if they are to remain in Europe’s premier club competition. The first-leg results across this round of 16 have largely favoured the home teams, with Bayern Munich the only travelling side to secure victory.
Sporting CP join a list of high-profile clubs facing uphill battles after their opening fixtures, including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City, all of whom suffered significant first-leg setbacks as they get set to take on Bodo/Glimt.
Despite the scale of the task, Sporting supporters can look to the club’s European history for encouragement. The Lisbon giants famously overturned a three-goal deficit during the 1963/64 European Cup Winners’ Cup when they defeated Manchester United 5-0 in the second leg of their quarter-final tie to advance 5-4 on aggregate. While replicating such a feat in the modern Champions League era would be extraordinary, Sporting’s formidable home record suggests they cannot be discounted entirely.
Estadio Jose Alvalade has become something of a fortress for the Lions in recent times. Sporting have won 17 of their last 18 matches on home soil, including four victories during the league phase of this season’s Champions League campaign. Notably, ten of those wins have been secured by margins of three goals or more, highlighting the attacking potency they are capable of producing in front of their supporters.
Additionally, Sporting have enjoyed a perfect defensive record in their previous UEFA home encounters with Norwegian sides, winning all three without conceding. The Portuguese giants enter this decisive second leg relatively fresh after their domestic fixture against Tondela was postponed over the weekend. That unexpected break may provide Rui Borges with a fully energised squad as his team attempt to produce one of the competition’s most memorable comebacks.
Bodo/Glimt, however, arrive in Lisbon to take on Sporting CP with immense confidence following their emphatic first-leg performance. The Norwegian outfit seized control of the tie with a commanding display in front of their home fans, where a 36th-minute penalty from Sondre Fet set the tone before Ole Blomberg extended the lead prior to halftime. Striker Kasper Hogh then added a third goal after the interval to cap a dominant evening that left Sporting with a mountain to climb.
That victory represented Bodo/Glimt’s fifth consecutive win in the Champions League, an extraordinary achievement for a club competing in the tournament’s main stage for the first time in their history. Their late surge during the league phase included a hard-fought draw away at Borussia Dortmund, followed by statement victories over Manchester City and Atletico Madrid that secured them a place in the knockout play-off round.
After eliminating Inter Milan over two legs in the previous stage, Kjetil Knutsen’s team have already established themselves as one of the competition’s most compelling underdog stories this season. Should they successfully defend their advantage in Lisbon, Bodo/Glimt would become the first Norwegian club since Rosenborg in the 1996/97 campaign to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
History also appears to favour the visitors. On each of the five occasions Bodo/Glimt have held a three-goal advantage from the first leg of a UEFA knockout tie, they have successfully progressed. That record, combined with their prolific attack, suggests they will travel to Portugal believing they can finish the job.
The Norwegian champions have been particularly dangerous in the final third throughout this European campaign. They have scored at least two goals in nine of their last eleven Champions League matches, underlining their ability to trouble even elite opposition. Their away form is also impressive, having scored exactly two goals in each of their last five competitive away fixtures, winning four of those matches.
With Sporting CP needing to push forward aggressively in search of goals, the contest with Bodo/Glimt could develop into an open and entertaining encounter. The hosts possess the attacking quality required to mount a challenge, but Glimt’s pace and efficiency on the counter-attack could prove decisive. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how the clubs could line up on the night and what tactics they might employ.
Team News & Tactics
Sporting CP
Sporting CP head into the second leg with some positive news on the availability front after missing a couple of important figures in the first meeting in Norway. Both Maximiliano Araujo and Pedro Goncalves are now available again after serving their respective one-match suspensions during the first leg. Their return provides Ruben Amorim with additional attacking quality and creativity, which could be crucial as Sporting attempt to chase down a three-goal deficit.
However, the Portuguese side will still be without a few players through injury. Fotis Ioannidis and Ricardo Mangas remain unavailable as both continue their recovery from knee injuries, leaving Rui Borges short of depth in certain areas of the squad. In addition, promising winger Geovany Quenda, who is set to join Chelsea soon, is still sidelined while recovering from foot surgery and is not expected to feature in this encounter.
In attack, much of Sporting CP’s hopes against Bodo/Glimt will once again rest on Luis Suarez. The Colombian striker has been particularly effective in European fixtures at Estadio Jose Alvalade, scoring three goals in his last two Champions League appearances at the ground. With Sporting needing goals to stay alive in the tie, Suarez will likely be tasked with leading the line and providing the cutting edge in the final third.
Sporting are expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation for this crucial second leg. Rui Silva is likely to start in goal, providing security between the posts. The defensive line should consist of Ivan Fresneda at right-back, with Ousmane Diomande and Goncalo Inacio forming the central defensive partnership, while Maximiliano Araujo operates from the left-back position.
In midfield, Morten Hjulmand and Hidemasa Morita are expected to anchor the team as the double pivot, offering defensive protection and ball progression from deeper areas. Further forward, Geny Catamo is likely to feature on the right flank, Francisco Trincao on the left, while Pedro Goncalves operates in the central attacking midfield role, linking midfield with attack. Leading the line as the lone striker should be Luis Suarez, whose goalscoring ability will be vital if Sporting are to mount any kind of comeback.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Silva; Fresneda, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Hjulmand, Morita; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez
Bodo/Glimt
Bodo/Glimt travel to Lisbon to take on Sporting CP with a largely stable squad and no fresh injury or suspension concerns ahead of the second leg. Manager Kjetil Knutsen has been able to rely on a consistent group of players throughout their recent Champions League run, which has contributed significantly to the Norwegian side’s impressive form in the competition.
The visitors have maintained continuity in selection over the last few European fixtures, and the same group that delivered a commanding performance in the first leg is expected to be available once again. A key figure for Bodo/Glimt in the final third has been Kasper Hogh, who has been in excellent scoring form in Europe.
The Danish striker has scored five goals across his last five Champions League appearances, establishing himself as the focal point of the Norwegian champions’ attacking system. His movement in the box and clinical finishing have been vital components of Glimt’s recent success, and he will once again be expected to lead the line and trouble the Sporting defence in Lisbon.
Given the team’s recent results, Knutsen is widely expected to retain the same starting lineup he has trusted in the last five Champions League matches. The Norwegian outfit have benefited from tactical consistency, particularly in the attacking third, where Ole Didrik Blomberg and Jens Petter Hauge have provided pace and creativity from the flanks while supporting Hogh centrally.
Bodo/Glimt are likely to line up in a 4-3-3 formation for this decisive encounter. Nikita Haikin is expected to start in goal, continuing his role as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. The defensive line should feature Fredrik Sjovold at right-back, with Odin Bjortuft and Jostein Gundersen forming the central defensive partnership, while Fredrik Andre Bjorkan occupies the left-back position.
In midfield, Sondre Brunstad Fet is likely to operate alongside captain Patrick Berg and Hakon Evjen, providing a balanced combination of defensive stability and forward progression. Further ahead, Ole Didrik Blomberg is expected to start on the right wing, Jens Petter Hauge on the left flank, while Kasper Hogh leads the attack as the central striker, completing an attacking trio that has been highly effective throughout their Champions League campaign.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Fet; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge
Key Stats
- Sporting CP head into the second leg with a formidable record at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, having won 17 of their last 18 home matches in all competitions. Notably, 10 of those victories have come by a margin of three goals or more.
- The Portuguese club have also enjoyed a perfect defensive record against Norwegian opponents at home in UEFA competition. Sporting have won all three of their previous European home games against Norwegian sides while keeping a clean sheet in each of them.
- Bodo/Glimt have won their last five matches in the competition.
- Another statistic that favours the visitors is that Bodo/Glimt have scored at least two goals in nine of their last eleven Champions League matches.
- Bodo/Glimt have progressed from all five previous UEFA knockout ties in which they held a three-goal lead after the first leg, making them strong favourites to advance to the quarter-finals.
Player to Watch
Kasper Hogh
All eyes will once again be on Kasper Hogh, whose recent form has played a major role in Bodo/Glimt’s remarkable Champions League campaign. The Danish forward has been in excellent scoring rhythm in Europe, finding the back of the net five times in his last five appearances in the competition. His ability to convert chances with minimal service makes him one of the most dangerous attacking threats Sporting will face on Tuesday night.
Hogh’s intelligent movement inside the penalty area and sharp finishing were evident in the first leg, where he added to Bodo/Glimt’s commanding advantage. The striker is particularly effective at exploiting defensive gaps during transitions, which could prove crucial again as Sporting are expected to push forward aggressively in search of goals.
With the Portuguese side likely to commit numbers forward in an attempt to overturn the deficit, spaces could open up at the back. That scenario suits Hogh’s strengths perfectly, as he thrives in quick attacking moves and counter-attacking situations. If Bodo/Glimt are to finish the job and secure a historic quarter-final place, their in-form striker will likely play a decisive role once again.
Prediction
Sporting CP 2-1 Bodo/Glimt (Bodo/Glimt win 4-2 on aggregate)
Sporting CP will approach the second leg knowing they must take risks from the outset in order to erase a three-goal deficit. Their outstanding home record at Estadio Jose Alvalade suggests they are capable of putting Bodo/Glimt under significant pressure, and the return of key attacking players should give the Portuguese side greater creativity in the final third.
Expect Rui Borges’s men to start aggressively, pushing numbers forward and attempting to score early to ignite belief among the home crowd. However, Bodo/Glimt arrive with both confidence and a substantial advantage from the first leg.
The Norwegian champions have shown throughout this Champions League campaign that they can compete with Europe’s strongest sides, and their pace in attack makes them particularly dangerous on the counter. With Sporting likely to commit bodies forward, the visitors should find opportunities to exploit the spaces left behind.
While Sporting may manage to win the match on the night, overturning a three-goal deficit against such an in-form opponent appears unlikely. Bodo/Glimt’s attacking threat and composure across the two legs should ultimately see them through.