Bodo Glimt vs Sporting Lisbon Predictions

• Glimt have beaten Man City, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan (twice) in the Champions League.
• Sporting lost two of their four league phase trips.
• Both teams have scored in Glimt’s last five games across all comps.

Glimt need to make most of home advantage

Bodo/Glimt’s host Sporting on Wednesday knowing that only a win will do if they want to realistically stand a chance of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals.

Glimt looked destined to fall at the league phase but seven points from their final three games – against Man City, Atletico Madrid and Dortmund – saw them sneak into the play-off spots. They backed that up by beating last year’s runners-up Inter Milan in both legs of their play-off.

The Norwegian side have a crucial advantage in the first leg as their artificial pitch has proven to be an issue for visiting teams, particularly in Europe. Glimt reached the last four of the Europa League last season, and this season they have beaten Man City and Inter at home, as well as holding Spurs to a draw.

A Glimt win looks the best angle here even if Sporting do arrive in fine form. The Lisbon club are on a 12-game unbeaten run and they should be able to keep this tie close so a 2-1 win for the hosts is the correct score pick. Glimt are yet to keep a clean sheet in the main draw of the Champions League and both teams scored in all four of Sporting’s trips.

Kasper Hogh starred for Glimt in the latter stages of the league phase and in the play-off with Inter, hitting four goals in his last four appearances in this competition. Hogh has scored in Glimt’s last two home European games and he appeals as a candidate for an anytime strike here.