Eliminated! Inter Milan falls to Bodø/Glimt’s brilliant double victory, missing out on the Champions League Round of 16; complaints about the pitch away and Liverpool at home.

Serie A now ranks at the bottom of the top five leagues. During the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 playoff on the ninth day of the lunar new year (Beijing time), Serie A leaders and last season’s Champions League finalists Inter Milan were defeated 1-2 at home by Norway’s Bodø/Glimt. Along with the 1-3 loss away, Inter suffered a double defeat with a heavy 2-5 aggregate score, missing out on the Champions League Round of 16.

Inter Milan reached the Champions League final twice in the past three seasons, but now they have failed to make the last 16. Without Pippo Inzaghi, the Nerazzurri’s Champions League performance has declined sharply. As Serie A leaders, being knocked out by a Norwegian Eliteserien team is a real blow to their pride. After their elimination, Inter blamed various factors, including Liverpool.

• Inter Milan’s 1-3 away loss to Bodø/Glimt: The Nerazzurri complained that Bodø/Glimt’s home pitch is artificial turf, which is somewhat understandable.
• Inter Milan’s 1-2 home defeat to Bodø/Glimt: Barella complained that if it weren’t for the controversial penalty decision against Liverpool that denied them a win, they would have already qualified directly for the Champions League Round of 16.

Barella’s remarks sparked lively debate among fans, with some humorously responding, “Bodø/Glimt: If we hadn’t drawn Inter Milan, we’d have been eliminated.”

In my opinion, since Inter Milan was beaten by Bodø/Glimt both home and away, further complaints seem petty. Their lack of strength and overreliance on Serie A style makes them uncomfortable in the Champions League. From national teams to club sides, Norwegian players have dominated Italian football four times in a row. The Italian Football Federation should face this reality seriously instead of making excuses for losses!