Presset Inter-trener:
Inter Manager Under Pressure Ahead of Champions League Match Against Bodø/Glimt
- Inter-Bodø/Glimt, 9:00 PM Tuesday
MILAN (Dagbladet): Bodø/Glimt travels to Italy with a 3-1 lead from the first leg. The atmosphere at the San Siro is expected to be markedly different than in Bodø – though Bodø/Glimt has faced similar situations before, losing 3-2 to AC Milan in 2020.
A single-goal defeat would still spot the Norwegian side advance to the Champions League round of 16, having won the first match by two goals.
When asked by Dagbladet if it was embarrassing to lose to a team from a city with a population of 50,000 and a vastly different financial standing, Inter manager Cristian Chivu responded:
– I laugh. You should never be ashamed of anything in football. You must always respect your opponent. No, we shouldn’t be ashamed. We have great respect for what Bodø/Glimt has done. They’ve shown that against many teams – both Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. We always respect our opponents and we seek to compliment them for what they’ve created and achieved, he said at the press conference.
– They’ve had a healthy project and clear ideas, and then you can go very far. No, we’re not ashamed of anything. We tried to be the best version of ourselves up there, but they were simply better than us. We’d like to compliment them, he continued.
Inter needs to win by two goals to force extra time, and by three goals to advance. Chivu believes this is within reach and says that playing on grass will be a significant advantage, compared to the artificial turf at Aspmyra.
– The whole situation was a bit strange with the pitch. We were afraid of injuries. That aspect cannot be underestimated, says Chivu.
The artificial turf at Aspmyra has been the subject of debate and headlines surrounding many of Bodø/Glimt’s major matches. When Inter trained outside Milan today, the natural grass was in excellent condition.
Bodø/Glimt has also proven successful on grass. They secured points against Borussia Dortmund and defeated Atletico Madrid on grass pitches. In fact, they have earned more points on grass than artificial turf in the Champions League so far: Four on artificial turf and five on grass.
Inter-Bodø/Glimt will be played on Tuesday at 9:00 PM.
The away goals rule is no longer in effect in the Champions League, meaning that if Inter wins by two goals, the match will go to extra time regardless.
