Two of Qarabag’s future Europa League opponents, Norway’s Bodo/Glimt and Sweden’s Elfsborg, are set to start their group-stage campaigns today.
Idman.biz evaluates the Scandinavian teams' chances in their first-round matchups.
Bodo Glimt vs. Porto
Bodo Glimt will host Portuguese giants Porto, one of the tournament favorites. Although Bodo Glimt confidently progressed through the second and third qualifying rounds of this season’s Champions League, they fell to Crvena Zvezda in the playoffs and now continue their journey in the Europa League. Last season, the Norwegian club reached the Round of 16 in the Conference League but was eliminated by Ajax after extra time.
Domestically, Bodo Glimt lost 1-4 to Brann in their most recent match but still holds a 7-point lead at the top of the table after 23 rounds. However, the short recovery time after such a tough match, combined with a lack of squad rotation, raises questions about their stamina for this encounter. On the positive side, the team has no injury concerns, unlike Porto, who are dealing with suspensions.
Despite Bodo Glimt’s recent strong form—winning 10 of their last 14 matches and losing only once in their last 11 European Cup games—they have struggled against top-tier European opponents for the past three seasons. Porto’s poor away form in the Europa League, with only 1 win and 7 losses in their last 12 away games, gives the Norwegian side some hope. However, given Porto’s significantly higher squad value (€334 million compared to Bodo Glimt’s), the Portuguese club remains the favorite.
Alkmaar vs. Elfsborg
Elfsborg faces a difficult test against Dutch side Alkmaar. Currently 6th in the Swedish league and with only one win in their last five domestic matches, Elfsborg is going through a challenging period. Despite an easy progression through the first three Europa League qualifying rounds, they struggled in the playoffs, narrowly defeating Norway’s Molde in a penalty shootout.
Elfsborg has not lost away from home in four months, a streak that includes eight unbeaten road games, but this record is unlikely to continue against a stronger opponent like Alkmaar. The Dutch side has six key players out with injuries, but their main leaders remain fit. Elfsborg’s only notable absence is midfielder Jens Thomasen, who has been sidelined for almost a month.
Elfsborg’s chances of victory are slim, and they would be fortunate to come away with a draw. A loss seems the most likely outcome for the Swedish club.
Vugar Mammadov
Idman.biz
