Kjetil Knutsen hails Bodø/Glimt’s historic Champions League play-off upset over Inter, sealing a round-of-16 spot after wins in Norway and Milan, with captain Patrick Berg praising the team’s fearless mindset.
Kjetil Knutsen, Bodø/Glimt’s coach, reacted with great pride after the Norwegian side stunned Inter in the play-off for a place in the Champions League round of 16, following up a 3–1 home win with another victory at the San Siro on Tuesday, edging last season’s beaten finalists 2–1 in Milan to seal a famous aggregate success.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Knutsen framed the result as more than just a sporting upset, calling it a landmark moment both for the club and for Norwegian football as a whole. Coming from a small town above the Arctic Circle and operating with a fraction of the budget and spotlight enjoyed by Europe’s established giants, Bodø/Glimt once again embraced their underdog status and turned it into an advantage, pressing aggressively, playing with courage on the ball, and showing the kind of composure usually associated with far more experienced Champions League sides.
“This is an incredible and historic moment for Bodø/Glimt, and a historic moment for Norwegian football,” Knutsen said. “I’m very proud; we are a team from a small town. I really hope we have shown that if we can do it, then everyone can. For me, that is the most beautiful part of the whole story.” The coach insisted the tie should serve as inspiration, arguing that belief, collective organization and a clear playing identity can still disrupt the usual hierarchy in modern European football.
Bodø/Glimt’s success over the two legs was built on balance. They were ruthless when openings appeared, but just as important was their discipline without the ball, particularly during periods in Milan when Inter sought to impose themselves with sustained pressure. Rather than retreat into a low block and simply try to survive, the Norwegian champions continued to look for moments to play forward, to release runners, and to exploit transitions, showing that their approach was not based on a single flash of brilliance, but on a repeatable game plan carried out with conviction.
Knutsen, however, was careful not to get carried away with predictions about what comes next. Bodø/Glimt will face either Sporting or Manchester City in the round of 16, but the coach said his focus remains on the same process that has taken the club this far. “I don’t know,” he replied when asked how deep his team could go. “We’re not talking about objectives; we talk about performances. I want to develop the players and the team and try to always be competitive. That’s how we work. And it will be the same in the next matches.” The message, consistent with his broader philosophy, was that progress comes from standards and execution rather than from setting distant targets.
Captain Patrick Berg echoed that tone, highlighting the quality of the performances across both matches and underlining the mentality that has defined Bodø/Glimt’s European campaign. “Over two games against Inter, we delivered very good performances,” he said. “We knew it would be easier for us at home and then to come to this historic stadium to face a great team. But we’re a small club, a small team; we have nothing to lose.” Berg stressed that the squad’s approach is rooted in enjoyment and competitiveness rather than fear. “We want to enjoy our football and compete with the best teams and the best players. It’s incredible. For the club and for the city, it’s unbelievable.”
The captain also placed the win in the broader context of Bodø/Glimt’s season, pointing out that the Inter double was not an isolated surprise but part of a pattern of high-level results. “I don’t think people thought we could beat Manchester City, Atlético Madrid [in the league phase], and now Inter twice,” he said, calling the achievement “magnificent.” For a club that has become synonymous with modern, attacking football in Scandinavia, the latest triumph reinforces the idea that their European run has been driven by substance rather than novelty.
For Bodø/Glimt, the immediate celebration comes with the knowledge that the next round will demand even more, whether it is Sporting’s intensity and structure or Manchester City’s depth and control. Still, after eliminating a Champions League heavyweight over two legs, the Norwegian side moves forward with momentum, credibility, and a growing sense that their story is no longer a curiosity, but a serious chapter in this season’s competition.
Updated: 03:00, 25 Feb 2026
