MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 24: Jens Petter Hauge of Bodo/Glimt (obscured) celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FK Bodo/Glimt at Stadio San Siro on February 24, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Arrigo Sacchi feels ‘some questions need to be asked’ of Italian football after Inter, the strongest team in the country, were eliminated from the Champions League by Bodo/Glimt.
Inter were surprisingly knocked out of the Champions League knockout play-off last night, losing 2-1 at home to Bodo/Glimt. The Nerazzurri had also lost the first leg 3-1 in Norway last week.
Sacchi: I had a lot of confidence in Inter
“I admit I had a lot of confidence in Inter. I believed they could get through the round for three reasons: one, their technical superiority; two, the good form of Chivu’s team; and three, the push from the San Siro crowd,” Sacchi wrote in his column for Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Instead, all these reasons, based on logic rather than just support for an Italian team, went up in smoke. Bodo/Glimt knocked Inter out, and the verdict is decidedly sensational considering the qualitative value, spending power and revenue of the two clubs.
“Italy’s strongest representative, the one that reached the final last season and has the most well-equipped squad to compete in a tournament like the Champions League, ends up being punished,” Sacchi continued.
“I remain convinced that Inter threw it away in the first phase, when, after a run of four consecutive victories, they made life difficult for themselves by losing three matches in a row and securing a play-off spot in the final round. The advantage built up at the start should have been managed better.
“The fact remains that a Norwegian side eliminated the strongest team in Italy: perhaps modern football has become more level (downward), but some questions need to be asked. How the Nerazzurri have a 10-point lead to defend in order to win the league. It does not seem like an especially demanding task, given the path of those chasing them, yet the bitterness of this elimination risks compromising the rest of their campaign.”
Serie A’s remaining representatives in the Champions League, Juventus and Atalanta, play today, but face challenging tasks.
La Dea need to come back from two goals down in a home match against Borussia Dortmund, while Juventus host Galatasaray in Turin following a 5-2 loss in Turkey last week.
