All you need to know: Bodo/Glimt in our UEFA Europa League semi-final first leg

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Ahead of Thursday's seismic first leg of our UEFA Europa League semi-final against Bodo/Glimt, here is all you need to know about our Norwegian opponents.

A brief history

Over the last few years, Bodo/Glimt have burst onto the scene - not just in European football, but also in Norway.

While they have been making head room in Europe for a number of years now and are quickly becoming a recognisable name on the European scene having taken a number of scalps over the past few seasons, it is also only in recent years that they have made headway in Norway.

A side which has dipped in and out of the top flight over the last 20 years, despite having been formed almost 110 years ago in the middle of the First World War, it was only in 2020 that they first became Norwegian champions.

It might have taken them 104 years to accomplish that, but now they have made it a bit of a habit, winning four of the last five league titles in Norway.

Bodo in Europe

Bodo have a history in Europe that stretches back to the 1970s.

First in European competition in the 1976/77 campaign as they qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup, they played just one round, losing 3-0 to Napoli on aggregate.

They were tough beginnings but, since their revival and recent successes under Head Coach Kjetil Knutsen, they have seen great progress on the continent.

Having won just one proper tie in Europe prior to 2021, they reached the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League in 2021/22 before losing to eventual champions AS Roma. Along their route to that last eight exit, they had inflicted a 6-1 defeat on Jose Mourinho's Roma and had managed to get past Celtic - then managed by Ange Postecoglou.

In the past two seasons, they have reached the knockout play-off rounds of both the Conference League and the Europa League before their progress to the Europa League's last four this term - the first time theur have ever done so.

Bodo against English sides

To date, Bodo have faced just two English opponents in competitive matches - and they have yet to win any such meeting.

In action against English sides on just three occasions to date - a small sample size it must be noted - Bodo have lost each of those games.

First taking on an English side in Arsenal back in the 2022/23 season, the Norwegian side were drawn along side the Gunners in Europa League Group A and played them at home and away. They first lost the away match, going down 3-0 at the Emirates before they fell 1-0 at their Aspmyra Stadium.

They then faced Manchester United in this season's League Phase. Tasked with a trip to Old Trafford in November, the Norwegians fell 3-2 at the Theatre of Dreams, despite having held a 2-1 lead with 23 minutes played.

Bodo's run to the semi-finals

It has been a fairytale run for Bodo/Glimt to the semi-finals of the Europa League this season - but they have certainly deserved it.

While they are the only team outside of the top eight teams from the League Phase to make it through to the last four (they finished ninth in the League Phase), they have certainly warranted their place with some incredible results along the way.

Finishing on 14th points in the League Phase and with only goal difference seeing them finish outside of the top eight, it was a strong campaign for the Norwegians, especially as they secured victories over Porto, Braga and Besiktas.

However, it has been in the knockout stages where they have really made the headlines. Taking out FC Twente in the Play-off round, they then dispatched last year's Europa Conference League winners Olympiacos in the round of 16 before they squeezed past Italian giants Lazio in the last eight.

Interestingly, they have lost the away leg in each of their knockout games so far, but have won the home leg - and they have scored in each of their knockout games thus far.