Looking to push for a top-eight spot in the 36-team league phase, Bodo/Glimt will welcome Israeli giants Maccabi Tel Aviv to Aspmyra Stadion for a Europa League clash on gameweek seven.
Den Gule Horde have suffered defeats in a pair of friendlies since the beginning of the calendar year, whilst the Yellows have endured a mixed spell on the domestic scene.
Match preview
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Winning their first-ever Eliteserien title in 2020, Bodo/Glimt have now claimed four of the last five Norwegian crowns to solidify their status as the dominant club at the top of the Scandinavian nation's football scene, with Thursday's hosts now aiming to make major waves on the continental stage.
Den Gule Horde are certainly on course to feature in the knockout stages of the competition after collecting a highly-respectable 10 points from their opening six league phase matches, meaning that they occupy 13th spot in the table, three points ahead of Braga in 25th position.
With the Eliteserien ending for 2024 at the start of December, Bodo/Glimt's most recent competitive match arrived on December 12 when Turkish powerhouses Besiktas visited Aspmyra Stadion, where goals from Philip Zinckernagel and Odin Luras Bjortuft secured a narrow 2-1 success for the hosts.
Kjetil Knutsen's troops have commenced the New Year with a pair of friendly contests against commendable opposition over the past few weeks, losing a five-goal thriller to Bundesliga 2 outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf before being defeated 3-0 by Champions League-competing Sparta Prague.
Bodo/Glimt should take plenty of confidence from their 2024 record in front of their own supporters ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv's visit on Thursday night, with Den Gule Horde losing just one of their 15 Eliteserien fixtures at Aspmyra as they squeezed past Brann to clinch the Norwegian title.
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With the Israeli domestic scene following the typical European schedule, Maccabi Tel Aviv have already played five competitive matches since the turn of the New Year, winning two, drawing two and losing one - a defeat that knocked them out of the State Cup at the hands of Maccabi Bnei Raina.
Following that disappointment in the cup last Wednesday night, the Yellows responded with one of their biggest victories of the 2024-25 campaign, with a brilliant brace from Dor Turgeman alongside strikes from Eran Zahavi and Weslley Pinto securing a 4-1 success over Maccabi Netanya.
Victors of the Israeli first division by a staggering 11 points during the 2023-24 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv face an arm wrestle to retain their crown this time around, with Hapoel Be'er Sheva currently setting the pace at the top of the standings, three points ahead of Thursday's visitors to Norway.
The Yellows have lost just one of their last nine matches since their most recent Europa League contest on December 12, when Zarko Lazetic's men sealed a much-needed win over Latvian minnows Rigas Futbola Skola in Serbia courtesy of goals from Idan Nachmias and Nemanja Stojic.
With a daunting fixture against Portuguese giants Porto to come on the final gameweek of the league phase, Maccabi Tel Aviv will be desperate to record another three points in the Europa League at the home of Bodo/Glimt, with the Israeli side currently trailing the top-24 spots by a single point.
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Team News
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Failing to feature for Bodo/Glimt since last summer due to a long-term injury, Daniel Bassi is still unavailable for the hosts on Thursday night.
Den Gule Horde are also battling on without the services of Samuel Burakovsky, who is yet to kick a competitive ball for the club due to a groin issue.
Back for his second spell at Aspmyra Stadion, Gaute Hoberg Vetti's return to the Norwegian powerhouses has been severely hindered by injury.
Picking up his third yellow card of the league phase during the win over RFS in December, Brazilian Pinto will be unable to feature in Scandinavia.
As a result, Maccabi Tel Aviv will need to find a new solution at the top end of the pitch, with 20-year-old Elad Madmon potentially entering the starting XI.
Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:
Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Saltnes; Helmersen, Hauge, Hogh
Maccabi Tel Aviv possible starting lineup:
Mishpati; Nachmias, Stojic, Lemkin, Revivo; Van Overeem, Kanichowsky; Madmon, Peretz, Layous; Turgeman
We say: Bodo/Glimt 2-1 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Boasting their stellar home record from 2024, Bodo/Glimt should be confident of securing their spot in the knockout stages with victory on Thursday night.
Maccabi Tel Aviv will be desperate for success in Norway with a clash against Porto scheduled next week, although we feel that the Yellows to narrowly lose out here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
