The winners of the 2023/24 UEFA Conference League arrive in Norway tomorrow evening to take on a comparatively smaller side in the shape of Bodo/Glimt. The fixture will mark the first ever meeting between the two sides, with the Greek giants probably confident of a strong first-leg result, given their recent success in European competition.
Bodo/Glimt ought not to be underestimated, however, as they gave struggling English side Manchester United a real run for their money in the sides' group stage fixture. They were unfortunately on the wrong side of a 3-2 defeat, but goals from Philip Zinckernagel and Hakon Evjen proved that the side have the capabilities to be competitive.
Both teams are accustomed to winning at present, with the Norwegian side coming into the game as Eliteserien champions, having finished ahead of Brann by three points in 2024. Similarly, Olympiacos currently top the Greek Super League by five points, remaining undefeated domestically since 27th October.
How the bookies view it: Close-run thing expected
Despite the arguably larger presence of Olympiacos in European competition, especially after their stunning 1-0 win over Fiorentina in last campaign's Conference League final, bookies are finding this hard to call. However, it is Bodo/Glimt who appear the most likely to emerge victorious, with BoyleSports pricing them at 23/20 for the win.
Olympiacos are not far behind in the bookmaker's estimations. 15/8 are their odds, which we very much like, with 12/5 the price at BoyleSports for the first-leg fixture to end in a stalemate.
Recent head-to-head: First ever meeting
There is no recent data which can be used to test the waters for this encounter, as neither team has faced one another in their history prior to tomorrow's meeting. Olympiacos have won two and drawn one of their last three fixtures in this season's Europa League.
Comparatively, Bodo/Glimt come into the game off the back of a 6-3 thrashing of FC Twente in the preliminary knockout qualification round. A 5-2 home win was enough to see the Norwegians into the Round of 16 against one of Greece's most historic sides.
Players to watch: Can Martins fill El Kaabi void?
The main man to watch in this game would simply have been Olympiacos' Ayoub El Kaabi, but a knock to the seven-goal striker has left him out of this fixture. Instead, responsibility for finding the back of the net may fall on the shoulders of right-winger Gelson Martins.
The wide man has six goals and five assists in the Greek Super League this season, but is yet to find the back of the net in the Europa League. With two assists, though, manager Jose Luis Mendilibar will hope he will at least help out creatively.
Predicted lineups
Bodo/Glimt: Haikin, Sjovold, Nielsen, Gundersen, Bjorkan, Evjen, Berg, Saltnes, Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge
Olympiacos: Tzolakis, Ortega, Carmo, Biancone, Rodinei, Hezze, Garcia, Palma, Chiquinho, Martins, Kostoulas
Anything else catch the eye?
With Bodo/Glimt games seemingly high-scoring in most cases, Kasper Waarts Hogh to be the first goalscorer is enticing at 5/1. The prolific forward has already bagged four times in seven starts in the competition, grabbing an 87th-minute addition against Twente, as well as a crucial brace versus Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Over 2.5 total away goals at 5/1 also seems a rather good deal. 23 goals were scored between the two clubs in the group stage, and the current Norwegian champions also conceded 11 times, meaning this fixture in particular has the makings of an absolute thriller.
This UEFA Europa League match between Bodo/Glimt and Olympiacos will be played on and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Bodo/Glimt vs Olympiacos prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
