Bayern Munich begin their Champions League campaign at the Allianz Arena on Thursday evening, where Bodø/Glimt arrive in excellent form.

Vincent Kompany’s side are overwhelming favourites and will expect to start with three points. Glimt face a major step up in opposition, but their recent European performances and continued attacking form suggest they can still contribute to an open game.

Bayern looking for a response after Schalke draw

Bayern started the season with three consecutive victories, including a convincing 5-1 win over Stuttgart in their opening Bundesliga match.

Their winning run ended away to newly promoted Schalke, where Bayern were held to a 0-0 draw despite controlling 83 percent of possession and creating the better chances. It was the first time since July 2025 that they had failed to score in a competitive match.

That result should provide additional motivation ahead of their return to the Allianz Arena. Bayern have won their last 22 opening matches in the Champions League, a sequence stretching back to 2003.

Harry Kane will lead an attack that also contains Michael Olise and Luis Díaz, while Jamal Musiala is working his way back towards full fitness. Serge Gnabry is also close to returning after a lengthy injury absence.

Bayern reached the Champions League semi-finals last season before losing 6-5 on aggregate against Paris Saint-Germain. The league phase should again be only the beginning of their ambitions, making a home victory against Glimt the minimum expectation.

The question is how many chances they allow at the other end. Bayern will dominate possession and commit players forward, potentially leaving space for Glimt to attack if the visitors can play through the initial pressure.

Glimt continue scoring without Kasper Høgh

Bodø/Glimt are no longer unknown at this level. Kjetil Knutsen’s team reached the Europa League semi-finals in 2024/25 before progressing to the Champions League knockout rounds last season.

Their European campaign included victories over Manchester City, Atlético Madrid and Inter. Glimt did not simply survive those matches either. They remained committed to their attacking style and showed that they could create chances against opponents with far greater financial resources.

Kasper Høgh played a major role in that run. The striker scored twice in the 3-1 victory over Manchester City before finding the winning goal away to Atlético Madrid.

His summer transfer to Celtic removed Glimt’s leading striker, but it has not stopped the team from scoring. Since Høgh’s departure, Glimt have played nine matches, winning seven and drawing two. They have scored 28 goals and found the net at least twice in every game.

Their Champions League qualification results were particularly impressive. Glimt drew 3-3 away to Union Saint-Gilloise before progressing from the tie, then defeated NEC Nijmegen 3-1 in the Netherlands and 3-0 at Aspmyra.

They arrive in Munich unbeaten in 18 matches across all competitions. Their two most recent games ended in a 4-2 victory over Rosenborg and a 2-1 away win against Fredrikstad.

Jens Petter Hauge would normally provide Glimt’s main attacking threat from the left, but his availability is uncertain after he picked up a knock against Fredrikstad. Patrick Berg will therefore become even more important in helping the visitors play through Bayern’s pressure.

Glimt will also be without Jostein Gundersen, Håkon Evjen, August Mikkelsen, Magnus Bech Riisnæs and Isak Sjong, leaving Knutsen with fewer options for the biggest test of the season.

Verdict

Bayern should control the game and create enough chances to win comfortably. Their attacking quality is on a completely different level, and the 0-0 draw against Schalke is more likely to produce a reaction than another quiet performance.

However, Glimt have earned more respect than the odds suggest. They have already beaten several major European clubs and have continued scoring freely since selling Høgh.

Knutsen’s side are unlikely to defend around their own penalty area for the entire match. They will attempt to play through Bayern’s pressure and attack the spaces left behind when the hosts commit players forward.

Bayern should provide most of the goals, but Glimt’s record of at least two goals in nine consecutive matches gives them a realistic chance of finding the net. If the visitors score once, Bayern should do enough at the other end to take the game beyond two goals.

Tip

Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals.