Lazio will be looking for a big turnaround when they welcome Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt to the Stadio Olimpico in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night.
The visitors stand on the brink of history after a 2-0 win in the first leg, as they could become the first club from Norway to reach the semi-finals of a European competition if they are able to dump out the League Phase winners.
Match preview
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At a venue where numerous European giants have struggled in recent years up in the Arctic Circle, notably Lazio's bitter rivals Roma, who lost 6-1 there in 2021, Marco Baroni's men were the next victims to suffer defeat at Aspmyra last Thursday.
Ulrik Saltnes's second-half brace means Bodo/Glimt take a two-goal advantage to the Italian capital, and that does not bode well for Lazio, because history suggests they will struggle to overturn the deficit.
After losing the first leg, Lazio have only progressed on three of the last 15 occasions in Europe, and only one of those times has been more recently than the 1970s - versus FCSB in 2018.
What is even more concerning is that in Lazio's history, they have never overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit on the continent, but they are well placed to create history.
Baroni's side are unbeaten in 13 games at the Olimpico in this competition, dating back to 2019, and they have already proved their pedigree in the competition this season, finishing top of the league phase, and knocking Viktoria Plzen out despite playing the latter stages of the first leg with nine men.
However, the Biancocelesti have not won a home game in the knockout stages of this competition since 2018, but that was also the last time they reached a semi-final in Europe, getting the better of Red Bull Salzburg.
A 1-1 draw with Roma in the Derby della Capitale on Sunday was not the worst preparation, especially as they were only denied victory by a wonder goal from Matias Soule, but they will need a fast start if they are to spark a comeback.
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Bodo/Glimt's recent fairytale rise in European competition has been down to their sensational home form, but they are notoriously poor travellers in comparison.
The visitors have never won in Italy, losing on five of their six visits, and the last of those was also at the Olimpico, when Roma thrashed them 4-0 in the Conference League in 2022.
Bodo have only won three games in the main draw of a European competition in their history, but they will know even a narrow defeat will still take them into the semi-finals, after doing much of the heavy lifting last week.
Teams who have won the first leg by two or more goals since the Europa League's rebranding have progressed 94% of the time, and Bodo are often strong in knockout ties, advancing from seven of their last nine.
Kjetil Knutsen's side have won four in a row across all competitions without conceding, and they will be fresher, as the Eliteserien afforded them the weekend off so they can focus on creating Norwegian football history.
Team News
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Lazio have big problems at full-back, where Nuno Tavares and Patric are both injured, while Luca Pellegrini is not part of their Europa League squad, but fortunately, Baroni still has Elseid Hysaj, Adam Marusic and Manuel Lazzari available to fill those positions.
The host's midfield will also be bolstered by the return of Italy international Nicolo Rovella, who was suspended for the first leg but will now be available for selection.
Bodo/Glimt are without a number of first-team players, with Gauter Vetti, Daniel Bassi, Syver Skiede, Jeppe Kjaer and Sondre Auklend all set to miss out once more.
Knutsen is bound to name the same XI that started last week, and the visitors will be hoping Saltnes can find the net again, considering they have not lost any of the previous 55 matches in which he has scored in.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Mandas; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Hysaj; Guendouzi, Rovella; Isaksen, Pedro, Zaccagni; Castellanos
Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:
Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Gundersen, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Saltnes; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge
We say: Lazio 4-1 Bodo/Glimt (Lazio to win 4-3 on aggregate)
Bodo could write yet more headlines this week, but despite having a two-goal advantage, they often come unstuck on the road in Europe, and Lazio may just have too much class for them on their own patch.
Lazio struggled in the Arctic Circle on the plastic pitch last week, but home comforts should benefit the side that came first in the league phase, and the Biancocelesti could write their own history if they are able to revert a two-goal deficit for the first time.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
