At 23:00 on July 23, the Champions League second qualifying round will see a clash between Bodø/Glimt and Riga FC.
Bodø/Glimt is a strong team from the Norwegian Premier League. They won the league last season, securing a Champions League qualifying spot. This season they are currently top of the league table, with clear goals of defending their title and progressing as far as possible in the Champions League.
In recent years, Bodø/Glimt’s best Champions League performance was in the 2022-23 season when they overcame three qualifying rounds to reach the playoffs. However, they fell to Dinamo Zagreb after a 1-0 lead in the first leg was overturned by a 2-1 victory for the Croatian side in the second leg. They then lost 2-4 in extra time and were eliminated. This season, with a stronger squad, they are hoping to reach the group stage.
Bodø/Glimt have a record of 11 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses in the Norwegian Premier League this season, with 36 points, placing them top of the table. However, they are only 6 points ahead of Brann, meaning they are under some pressure. In their 16 games, they have scored 36 goals and conceded 13, making them a very strong attacking force, but conceding an average of almost one goal per game in the Norwegian Premier League means they still need to tighten up defensively in the Champions League.
Riga FC is a team from the Latvian Higher League. Like their opponents, they also secured a Champions League qualifying spot by winning their domestic league last season. Their goals for this season are the same: defending their league title and achieving a good result in the Champions League.
This team has risen in recent years. Before 2021 they were a mid-table team with little recognition. In the 2023 season, they made history by reaching the Champions League qualifying stage for the first time. In the first round, they faced HJK Helsinki, and despite a 0-1 loss in the first leg, they fought back to draw 2-1 in the second leg, only to lose on penalties. This was a remarkable performance for a team making their Champions League debut, and they can’t be underestimated. This season, they showed a completely different form, sweeping aside Laçi 7-0 over two legs in the first round.
In the league this season, they have played 22 games, winning 18, drawing 2 and losing 2, putting them top of the table with 56 points. They have scored 68 goals and conceded only 15 in those 22 games, demonstrating their dominance in the domestic league. This attacking and defensive force has already achieved a historic run in the Champions League, but whether they can continue to break records depends on their performance in the next two games.
The two teams have never met before, but Bodø/Glimt has a market value of around €32 million, while Riga FC’s total value is less than €10 million. There is a clear gap in terms of strength, but anything can happen on the pitch. Both teams are attacking sides and will likely field their strongest attacking lineups in the first leg, aiming to gain an advantage. This promises to be a thrilling encounter.
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