Bodo/Glimt vs Lech Poznan prediction: EUROPE: Europa Conference League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2023-02-15 17:45.
Well-rested after a long winter break to follow a second-placed finish in the 2022 Eliteserien, UEFA Europa League exiles Bodø/Glimt’s maiden task of 2023 is to get a healthy advantage in the first leg of this Europa Conference League (UECL) knockout playoff. While that is easier said than done, Bodø have netted in all but one of their 21 European home games played this century, so optimism is plentiful in a town populated by just over 50,000 people.
As ever, Bodø’s famed north-of-the-Arctic Circle setting promises testing conditions for those not climatised. Though small, the 8,300-capacity Aspmyra Stadium has seen much more decorated visitors freeze in their tracks – such as holders Roma, against whom Bodø scored eight times across two clashes here in 2021/22, contributing to what is a still-perfect UECL home record (W9).
Bodø know that getting past this hurdle again will demand a lot of guile, but some neutral thoughts must also be spared for Polish champions Lech Poznań. Poignantly, many of the century-old club’s current crop were not even born the last time Lech reached the final 16 in any major UEFA competition which was back in the 1993/94 UEFA Champions League (UCL) edition.
Visiting coach John van den Brom also has a personal narrative in the mix as far as Europe is concerned, having himself been amongst the UCL-winning Ajax squad of 1995. And while Lech are winless in ten European away games dating back to the Europa League group stage of 2020/21 (D4, L6), strong domestic form could provide a mental boost against the harsh conditions that await them, with a sole loss in 16 Ekstraklasa games prior to kick-off.
Players to watch: Bodø beat Celtic 5-1 on aggregate at this stage in last year’s inaugural UECL, with Hugo Vetlesen netting in both legs. But as a Swede raised to see neighbouring Norwegians as rivals, visiting captain Mikael Ishak might relish this test, especially after averaging a second-half goal per game across Lech’s UECL group stage trips this term.
Hot stat: Bodø scored exactly twice in all three of the UECL knockout stage home games they faced last season.