Preview: Bodø/Glimt look to continue their Champions League fairy-tale with win over Sporting | OneFootball

Bodø/Glimt are a win away from a historic Champions League quarter final place, taking a three-goal lead to Lisbon to face Sporting CP.

Whilst Bodø had been no pushovers during the early days of their Champions League group stage, it wasn’t until their demolition of former winners Manchester City at the end of January that their love affair with the most prestigious club competition really kicked off.

The fishing town of just a mere 55,000 people has already seen dizzying heights that many much bigger towns could merely dream off.

Bodø followed up their win against City with victories against Atletico Madrid and a 5-2 demolition of last seasons finalists Inter Milan has put the Norwegians in the hat for the round of 16.

A 3-0 home victory over Sporting in the first leg has now set up a mouth-watering tie on Tuesday afternoon with Bodø on the cusp of creating even more history.

But Sporting, despite the 3-0 drubbing in the first leg, have had a remarkable domestic campaign so far with only one loss all season to their name.

The Leoes sit second in the Liga Portugal trailing runaway leaders Porto by seven points with a game in hand, and have been brilliant in the Champions League group stage as-well.

The Portuguese side qualified to the round of 16 automatically as part of the top eight sides, with just two defeats in their eight games.

Victories over PSG and Marseille proved their metal amongst Europes elite which makes the first leg result that more remarkable.

To add to just how remarkable this all is, Bodø are on their maiden season in the Champions League after reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League last season before bowing out to to eventual winners Spurs.

With such a tiny population, it would be right to assume that Bodø haven’t always been this premier dark horse in Europe but in their domestic league that have been perennial over-performers, winning the Eliteserien four times and a further 11 other domestic trophies whilst continuously breaking records for football in Northern Norway.

After finishing as runners-up last season in the league, Bodø will be hoping to go one better and add a fifth Eliteserien title when the Norwegian season starts back up again later this month.

Sporting have lost just one game at home in all competitions this season and will need to lean on that fantastic form if they are to end this Norwegian fairy-tale.

They also have extremely talented players at their disposal too, none more so than striker Luis Suarez, not to be confused with the Inter Miami striker, who has 15 goals and four assists so far this season and young winger Giovanny Quenda who has been one of the most exciting talents emerging in Europe this season.

Those two have contributed heavily to Sporting’s 64 goals scored in the league this season which is among the most in Europe

Bod’s Jens-Petter Hauge has been a jewel in this side’s crown so far this season, having already bagged 11 goal contributions in his 13 Champions League appearances so far this season.

Elsewhere, striker Kasper Høgh scored in the first leg, being one of their three goals they take to Lisbon.