Bodo/Glimt vs FC Porto prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – League phase betting tips on match 2024-09-24 16:45.
[p]Currently flying high in their domestic league with a healthy lead at the top of the table, Norway’s only UEFA Europa League (UEL) representatives Bodø/Glimt take to the stage in the inaugural league phase of this competition. After losing out in the Champions League play-off round, seasoned boss Kjetil Knutsen may be quietly confident of getting his side’s continental season off to a good start given his positive balance in European games (W31, D11, L15). [/p]
[p]Within that record are some of Bodø’s most famous European nights, perhaps most notably a pair of home wins over Roma. Such memories should help many a Bodø fan forget their outsider status ahead of this visit from Porto, and while the Norwegians have no history against Portuguese sides, their relatively solid record in home UEL action may be enough to inspire belief that they can cause an upset (W4, D1, L2). [/p]
[p]Much like their hosts, 2011 UEL winners Porto are doing well on the domestic front (W5, L1), sitting just behind Sporting Lisbon in the league. That start serves as a prelude to Porto’s first UEL campaign since 2019/20, when they progressed from the group stage. Since then, the Portuguese outfit have featured in the competition via dropping down from the Champions League albeit with negative results.[/p]
[p]With no clean sheets in this competition in over a decade (W4, D3, L8), Porto may need a handful of goals if they’re to get anything from what is one of the longest away days in round one, with fans travelling over an eye-watering 3000 km. You’d have to go back even further to find Porto’s last UEL away clean sheet (W2, D4, L7), with the club conceding exactly twice in five of their last seven such trips. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Bodø’s Sondre Fet has notched three European goal contributions across his last three such appearances this season (G2, A1) and all three of his scoring continental clashes saw his side win. For Porto, Galeno managed an impressive nine goal contributions in nine Champions League games last term (G5, A4) and has scored three opening goals from his last four scoring appearances domestically this term. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Only one UEL game proper involving Bodø/Glimt was settled by more than a single-goal margin.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matthew Billon[/i][/p]