A rather bizarre situation is unfolding in the Norwegian championship, where a team well-known in Scandinavia should lose a match in the Cup quarterfinals to have better chances of qualifying for European competitions.
We are talking about Lillestrom SK, the former champions of the Fjord Country in the ’90s, who will play in the Cup quarterfinals against Bodo/Glimt, the standout team in this season’s Champions League.
However, for the yellow-blacks, it would be better to lose this match! How did we get here? One reason is that in Norway, two editions of the Cup are held in the same season. And Lillestrom won the first edition, but it does not automatically mean they will qualify for European competitions, as it does in our country or in other countries.
Because, in this country, the regulations provide for a playoff between the two Cup winners, and Lillestrom increases its chances of making it to Europe if they lose the match against Bodo/Glimt. Because if Bodo wins the second edition of the Cup, then the playoff result will be irrelevant, as Glimt will already be playing in the Champions League next season, so Lille will automatically move up to the Europa League.
So, the likely scenario is that Lillestrom will lose, and Bodo/Glimt will need to win the trophy, so that the situation is favorable for tonight's opponent.
The title in the recently concluded season in Norway belonged to Viking, who will go alongside Bodo in the Champions League qualifiers.