Bodo/Glimt and KI Klaksvik will lock horns on Wednesday evening in the first leg of their first qualifying round contest in the Champions League.

Both sides will be looking to claim an advantage ahead of the return fixture in the Faroe Islands next week, with a position in the second qualifying round on offer for the two teams.

Match preview

Bodo/Glimt won the Norwegian top flight for the second time last year, finishing at the top of the division with 63 points from their 30 matches, which saw them qualify for the first qualifying round of the European Cup.

The Yellow Horde are already 12 matches into their new league season, currently sitting sixth in the table, boasting 19 points, and they are 11 points behind the leaders Lillestrom.

Bodo/Glimt had been on a four-game winning run between June 18 and June 29, but they will enter this contest off the back of a 3-2 loss to Odd in the league on Saturday.

Kjetil Knutsen's side reached the quarter-finals of last season's Europa Conference League, beating Celtic and AZ in the knockout rounds before suffering a 5-2 aggregate defeat to Roma, who won the trophy.

Bodo/Glimt lost to Legia Warsaw at this stage of last season's Champions League, and they have never made it to the group stage of the European Cup, which is an indication of the size of the task facing them.

As for KI, the visitors will enter this contest off the back of a 4-2 win over NSI in the league on June 29, which made it four straight successes for the team from the Faroe Islands.

Mikkjal Thomassen's side are currently top of their domestic league table with 43 points from 15 matches and will therefore enter this match full of confidence.

KI fell in the first qualifying round for last season's Europa Conference League, losing 6-5 on aggregate to RFS, but they did reach the second qualifying round of the 2020-21 Champions League before losing to Young Boys.

The Faroe Islands outfit have lost five and won just one of their previous six Champions League fixtures and will be the underdogs heading into this two-legged tie, with the winner of the contest set to take on either the New Saints or Linfield in the second qualifying round of the competition.

Team News

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Bodo/Glimt have not reported any injury concerns from their 3-2 defeat to Odd in the league on Saturday, but it is likely that head coach Knutsen will make a couple of alterations.

Japhet Sery could come into the back four for the home side, while Victor Boniface is pushing to be involved in an attacking area for the Norwegian outfit.

Amahl Pellegrino has been the team's standout player thus far this season, finding the back of the net on eight occasions in the league, and he will again feature in the final third of the field.

KI, meanwhile, are likely to be similar to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against NSI in the league on June 29.

That said, Valerijs Sabala found the back of the net on two occasions after coming off the bench last time out, and he could now earn a starting role here.

There will also be a spot in the XI for Pall Klettskaro, who has been in strong form at club level this season, finding the back of the net on 10 occasions in 14 league appearances.

Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:
Haikin; Sampsted, Sery, Holbraten, Wembangomo; Vetlesen, Hagen, Saltnes; Solbakken, Boniface, Pellegrino

KI Klaksvik possible starting lineup:
Rosenorn; Vatnsdal, Brinck, Da Silva, Kronberg; Frederiksberg, Joensen, Andreasen; Bjartalio, Klettskaro, Sabala

We say: Bodo/Glimt 2-0 KI Klaksvik

Bodo/Glimt impressed in the Europa Conference League last season and will be expecting to progress to the next qualifying round. KI should not be underestimated, but we are expecting the home side to record a comfortable victory in the first leg on Wednesday night.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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