“Sensational” and “historic” were among the adjectives being used after the Bodø/Glimt football club from a small town in Northern Norway managed to beat the mighty Atlético Madrid in Madrid this week. It was Bodø/Glimt’s latest display of unity and belief in themselves, according to their coach.
The small club that made it into the Champions League started off with losses against Monaco and Juventus on its own home turf but then tamed Borussia Dortmund in Germany (2-2) and beat Manchester City (3-1) back home in Bodø. When Glimt also beat Atlético Madrid 2-1 in Madrid Wednesday night, it was nothing short of sensational. That’s not least because the Madrid club had won 17 of its last 18 matches, and hadn’t lost (one of Madrid’s matches ended in a tie) until Glimt came calling.
“Everyone believed in this match,” Bodø/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen told Norway’s TV2, which had broadcasting rights to the match in Madrid, attended by just over 3,000 cheering fans from Bodø. Knutsen’s team “dares to be themselves,” claimed Norwegian commentator Daniel Røed-Johansen in newspaper Aftenposten, “and they work every day to become better.” He added that they “learn from their mistakes and get stronger … and that’s the Glimt culture. It’s what has sent them to new heights.”
Now they´ll face other top European clubs at playoffs in February. In the meantime they’ve already earned huge amounts of money for a small club like Bodø’s, and are having a lot of fun.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
