Bodo/Glimt achieved one of the most remarkable upsets in UEFA Champions League history, delivering a stunning performance over two legs to eliminate last season’s finalists, Inter Milan, from the knockout-round playoffs on Tuesday.
After securing a 3-1 victory at home in the first leg, the Norwegians duplicated their success at San Siro, winning 2-1 and earning a spot in the round-of-16 against either Manchester City or Sporting CP.
Bodo/Glimt has already demonstrated their ability to defeat City this season, having handed Pep Guardiola’s team a 3-1 loss during the group stage, following similar stunning results against other Champions League powerhouses like Atlético Madrid.
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Surprisingly, the Champions League has been the only venue for Bodo/Glimt’s three competitive matches in 2026 so far, as their domestic league concluded in November to avoid the harsh winter.
Describing Bodo/Glimt’s achievement as monumental cannot capture the enormity of their feat — but how does their elimination of three-time winners Inter compare with other memorable Champions League knockout upsets?
1997-98: Monaco vs. Manchester United (1-1 on aggregate, Monaco advance on away goals)
Monaco stunned Old Trafford during the second leg of the 1997-98 quarterfinals, taking an unexpected lead with an early goal against the Premier League giants. After a goalless first leg, the Ligue 1 side went ahead after just five minutes into the second leg with a quick strike from David Trézéguet, forcing United to score twice to overturn the away-goals rule. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, featuring stars like David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, could only manage one goal, leading to a disheartened exit in front of their stunned fans.
Dynamo Kyiv also made headlines by eliminating Real Madrid from the 1998-99 quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Bernabéu. The second leg saw a remarkable 2-0 win at the Olympic Stadium, where young forward Andriy Shevchenko scored all three of Dynamo’s goals over both matches before transferring to AC Milan the following season as the competition’s top scorer.
2003-04: FC Porto vs. Manchester United (3-2 agg.)
Porto edged past Manchester United in the round-of-16, opening with a 2-1 victory at home. A vital equalizer from Costinha in the second leg at Old Trafford sent Sir Alex Ferguson’s team packing, sparking celebrations from Porto coach José Mourinho, whose jubilant sprint along the touchline has become a legendary moment in Champions League history.
Deportivo faced seemingly insurmountable odds after losing 4-1 in the first leg of their 2003-04 quarterfinal against AC Milan. but, they managed to mount an astonishing comeback in the second leg with unanswered goals from Walter Pandiani, Juan Carlos Valeron, Alberto Luque, and Fran, overturning the aggregate score to 5-4. Their remarkable run ended in the semifinals against the eventual Champions League winners Porto.
2003-04: Monaco vs. Real Madrid (5-5 agg., Monaco advance on away goals)
Real Madrid looked poised to advance when they secured a 4-2 win over Monaco at the Bernabéu in the first leg of the 2003-04 quarterfinals. After falling behind 5-2 on aggregate due to a Raúl goal early in the second leg, Monaco staged a comeback, with Ludovic Guily scoring twice and Fernando Morientes’s goal (who was on loan from Madrid) sealing an unforgettable aggregate win for the Ligue 1 side.
2005-06: Villarreal vs. Inter Milan (2-2 agg., Villarreal win on away goals)
Villarreal, undefeated in their first Champions League campaign, faced a challenging quarterfinal when they were beaten 2-1 at home in the first leg against Inter. Refusing to give up, Manuel Pellegrini’s team responded in the second leg with a decisive header from Rodolfo Arruabarrena, allowing the Yellow Submarine to advance to the semifinals on away goals.
2011-12: Apoel Nicosia vs. Lyon (1-1 agg., Apoel wins 4-3 on penalties)
The 2011-12 round of 16 featured a thrilling clash between Lyon and Apoel, with both teams enjoying a 1-0 victory on their respective home grounds, resulting in a tie that went into extra time. even with being the underdogs, Apoel showed remarkable resilience, eventually winning on penalties after goalkeeper Dionisios Chiotis made crucial saves against Alexandre Lacazette and Michel Bastos to secure their place in the quarterfinals.
2016-17: Monaco v Manchester City (6-6 agg., Monaco win on away goals)
In the 2016-17 round of 16, Manchester City believed they were on the verge of the quarterfinals after a 5-3 win against Monaco at the Etihad Stadium in the first leg. but, young striker Kylian Mbappé had other plans, as Monaco netted three goals in the second leg to ensure City’s late attempt at a comeback, capped by Leroy Sané’s goal, was not enough to advance.
2018-19: Ajax vs. Real Madrid (agg. 5-3)
After finishing second in their group behind Bayern Munich, Ajax encountered a significant challenge in the round of 16 against the formidable Real Madrid. even with Marco Asensio’s late goal in the first leg appearing to secure victory for Madrid, Ajax produced a stunning 4-1 win in the second leg, eliminating the Spanish giants and advancing to the next round.
2019-20: Lyon 3-1 Manchester City
owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final of the 2019-20 Champions League season were held as single-leg matches in a mini-tournament in Portugal. even with Manchester City’s fervent quest for their inaugural Champions League title, Lyon took an early lead in the quarterfinal clash at Estadio José Alvalade and managed to maintain it. Though Kevin De Bruyne equalized later, Lyon responded with two late goals from Moussa Dembélé, sealing a memorable victory.
