What Jose Mourinho said after he faced Celtic Conference League opponents Bodo/Glimt

By Euan Davidson

December 14, 2021

For a vast number of Celtic fans and audiences on these shores in general, the name of our next European opponents Bodo/Glimt might not be entirely familiar.

The side, based in the extreme north of Norway, had been something of a yo-yo club in the Norwegian league set-up. However, in recent years they’ve improved immensely, winning Eliteserien titles and of course, competing in Europe.

This season, they gave Roma such a scare that Jose Mourinho was left absolutely stunned. His side fell 6-1 to Bodø/Glimt [BBC], one of the heaviest defeats in the legendary coach’s career.

After the game, Mourinho said [Sun]: “They have more quality than us. Their first team is a much better team than our second team.

“It’s my mistake. I wanted to rest players after the game against Juventus and before the game against Napoli. I made these decisions, and in the end, they are better players than my players. They are a better team than my team. Of course, the 6-1 could be five, could be seven, could be eight.

“The game went in a direction where you lose complete control of emotions, of everything. The reality of the game is that the best team won with the best players.

“The only thing I can say is that I tried to do it with good intentions, to rest my players for the next game, but we were punished by that. They are better than us.”

Bodo/Glimt have real quality, and Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou won’t want to sound like Jose Mourinho after facing them

Scary stuff. Admittedly, it was a second-string Roma side. But even a Roma B team should be competitive in Europe, given the club’s resources.

Especially when they can afford a manager of Mourinho’s repute.

Roma would go on to qualify from the group, but not without a shellacking from Kjetil Knutsen’s side. However, it looks as if the team that played Roma will look quite different when Celtic come to the Arctic Circle.

Patrick Berg, who scored that night, is pursuing a move. Fredrik Bjorkan, their star left-back, is said to be on his way to Hertha Berlin [TV2]. They still have plenty of threat, but those are two key players.

Equally, Ange Postecoglou will put out a full-strength Celtic side against Bodo/Glimt, no question.

But the fact remains they have made a significant dent in Europe already, via a distraught Jose Mourinho. That’s something to consider.

Read more: The forgotten star who links Celtic and Bodo/Glimt