Will the Norwegians surprise agains Piräus?

The international competitions are slowly getting down to business. Only 16 teams are left in the running for the title in each competition. We look ahead to the game between Bodö/Glimt and Olympiakos Piraeus, in which the bookmakers’ predictions before the first leg see the Greeks as more likely to advance. In the next round, either Viktoria Plzen or Lazio await the winner of this tie.

As the season in Norway, like in many Nordic countries, runs on an annual cycle, the black and yellows are in the hot preparation phase for the new season. The hosts have been out of the league since the beginning of December and therefore their strong performance on the international stage is a bit of a surprise. The betting providers also think they can do well in the upcoming encounter. In the first leg between Bodö/Glimt and Olympiakos Piräus, the tip on the Gule Horde is rewarded with odds of 2.15 at the top.

The guests picked up a win in the top game in the Super League last weekend and are entering the first leg with a great deal of confidence. Their last competitive defeat was in October last year. Therefore, it is very tempting to invest the Winamax new customer bonus of 100% as free bets on the first deposit in the game Bodö/Glimt against Olympiakos Piräus at odds of 3.30 in a bet on the Greeks.

Bodö/Glimt – Statistics & current form

FK Bodö/Glimt have been one of the most successful Norwegian clubs in recent years. Of their four league titles, two have been won in the last two seasons. In the upcoming season, which begins at the end of March, the northern Norwegians will once again be among the favorites in the fight for the title.

The majority of the team has been retained. In particular, none of the top performers in defense have left. Although Albert Grönbaek, an important midfielder, went to Stade Rennes in France, new players have been signed for the offense, including Jens Petter Hauge and Philip Zinckernagel.

Bodö/Glimt is the reigning Norwegian champions

Last season, the home side finished just ahead of Brann Bergen and Viking FK in the Eliteserien. 18 wins and eight draws ultimately earned the black and Yellows 62 points. The team, coached by Kjetil Knutsen since 2018, finished three points ahead of their closest rivals.

With 71 goals, the hosts had the strongest offense in the league. The top scorer was the Dane Kasper Hogh, who scored twelve times. The defense was also the measure of all things in Norway, with only 31 goals conceded. Will the defense hold on Thursday too? In the game between Bodö/Glimt and Olympiakos Piraeus, odds of 2.05 are being paid on the mobile Betway app for bets on the home side.

Internationally, the black and yellow team first started in the Champions League qualifiers. They made it to the final via Jagiellonia Bialystok, where Red Star Belgrade proved to be too strong. In the Europa League group stage, Bodö/Glimt only just missed out on a direct place in the last 16, finishing ninth.

The Norwegians surprised against Twente

In the round of 32 against Twente Enschede, the Norwegians were initially seen as outsiders. The first leg in the Netherlands ended in a 2-1 loss. The return leg was then highly dramatic. With goals in the 92nd and 94th minutes, the Gule Horde seemed to have turned the game around, but Twente struck back in the 96th minute. In extra time, however, the black and yellows had the longer breath and scored twice more.

Olympiakos Piräus – statistics & current form

Olympiakos Piräus has 47 championship titles and 28 cup victories to its name. The last national title was celebrated in 2022. After finishing third last year, the Red and Whites have already qualified for the championship round at an early stage this season, in which the top four teams after the regular double round take part.

The legends lead the way in the Greek Super League. They have 17 wins and six draws to their name, with just two defeats. They are five points ahead of their closest rivals. Their chances of winning the championship are still in the balance.

Piraeus have a strong defense

The Greeks’ strength is their stable defense. With 16 goals conceded, the red and whites have the safest defense in the Super League. Things are also going well in offense. The guests have scored 44 times. The second-best value in the league. Only PAOK scored more often.

In the Europa League, the “legend” qualified directly for the round of 16. After the league phase, the team of head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar was in a strong seventh place, leaving teams such as Ajax Amsterdam, Glasgow Rangers and Real Sociedad behind them.

Olympiakos with only one defeat in the league phase

Four wins and three draws were achieved from the eight games. Only Olympique Lyon managed to beat them 2-0. The Greeks also showed their defensive strength internationally. The red and whites only conceded three goals, which was by far the best result of the entire league phase. Although the guests only managed an average of 1.1 goals per game in offense, as long as they kept things safe at the back, they only needed a few scoring opportunities to get three points. Six of the eight EL encounters ended with fewer than 2.5 goals.

Now it is important to create a good starting position for the second leg in Norway. There is no reason for the Mendilibar team to go all in and risk too much. The betting providers initially see the guests as outsiders and offer odds of 3.40 for tips on the red and whites in the Bodö/Glimt v Olympiakos Piräus game.

Bodö/Glimt – Olympiakos Piräus Direct comparison / H2H record

The first leg of the round of 16 is the first meeting between these two clubs. The Norwegians want to get a good starting position. In the match between Bodö/Glimt and Olympiakos Piräus, the bookmakers’ forecasts predict a good chance of a home win for the black and yellow.

Bodö/Glimt – Olympiakos Piräus Tip

Looking at the bookmakers’ assessments, we can expect a close match in this round of 16 tie. The hosts are at a disadvantage as they are yet to play competitive matches, as the Norwegian team is currently preparing for the new season. Nevertheless, the black and yellows impressed in the last round against Twente.

The Greeks are full of confidence after their recent winning streak. The red and whites have not conceded a goal in 26 competitive games. Given their very solid defense, we think the “Legends” have a good chance of overcoming the hurdle and qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The guests have the best defense in the Europa League and in the domestic league so far. We expect it to be difficult for the Norwegians to break through this defense. Accordingly, we assume that not too many goals will be scored. We therefore recommend betting on less than 2.5 goals at odds of 1.94 with the tested bookmaker Winamax in the game between Bodö/Glimt and Olympiakos Piräus.

We see the lack of competitive practice as a disadvantage for the black and yellows. The Greeks, on the other hand, are fully in competition mode and have not been defeated in months. Therefore, in the encounter between Bodö/Glimt and Olympiakos Piräus, at odds of 1.75, betting on the double chance X/2 is a good alternative.