Bodø/Glimt is the top-scoring team in the Europa League this season, with 24 goals. They just defeated Olympiakos over two legs in the round-of-16.
If Bodø/Glimt wins the tie against Lazio, they will become the first Norwegian team to reach the semifinals of a UEFA competition. The club’s overall goal is to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in its history.
“We’ve come so close twice to reaching the Champions League, and that would really be a bit statement,” Saltnes joked. “Financially, it’s a whole different league, and for everyone in European football, it would demonstrate that Glimt is ready to participate.
“It is not as if you will never hear about us again in a few years. I believe that reaching the Champions League would be a significant step forward for the team.”
Bodø/Glimt, like other Norwegian teams, appears to be out of sync with the rest of the European game, although pursuing ambitious ambitions. Domestic contests in Bodø typically take place from March to November due to the country’s cold and dark winters, with just roughly 50 minutes of sunlight during the shortest days.
Norway’s Eliteserien has resumed, with Bodø/Glimt winning its first two games. While much of Europe enjoys warmer weather, players, coaching staff, and spectators are still braving the cold at the 8,720-seat Aspmyra Stadion. This week, temperatures in Bodø hover just over 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius).
“I do feel bad for all of the fans that have to come and watch us in -10 (Celsius, who are) sitting down and cannot move during the game,” he remarked.
But perseverance is in Bodo’s DNA, and its people are willing to go to remarkable lengths for a game of soccer. Or to put it another way: “If you were committed enough, you could do anything as long as you have a shovel with you.”
