Porto Manager: Facing Bodø/Glimt is a Serious Challenge; Their Home Ground is Very Intimidating

On September 26 at 00:45 CET, Porto will face Norway’s Bodø/Glimt in the Europa League group stage. Porto’s head coach Vítor Bruno attended the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, acknowledging that his team will face a serious challenge in their first match of the Europa League group stage.

Bruno stated during the pre-match press conference: “When we look at the strength of our opponents, we must admit that their home form has given us a warning. In the past eight matches, Bodø/Glimt have won all of them; and in the past 30 European games, they’ve won 24.”

This is Porto’s first game in the Europa League group stage of the new season, and it is also Bruno’s first time leading the team in a European competition as head coach, having previously served as Porto’s assistant coach. He hopes for a good start to lay a solid foundation for future matches.

“Our goal is to secure a win and gain an advantageous position right from the start. Although there are eight matches in the entire group stage, this is actually a relatively short competitive period, so any early mistakes could affect our ultimate goal,” Bruno added.

For him personally, he values the overall performance of the team more than individual achievements: “Of course, winning the match would make me happy, but what matters more is whether Porto can advance to the next round smoothly.”

Stephan Estácio, a Porto midfielder who also attended the press conference, shared similar sentiments: “This match will be extremely tough, something we are well aware of, even though some people outside might think facing such an opponent would be easier. Bodø/Glimt is a strong and tactically disciplined team with many excellent players. They have been operating like a well-oiled machine and are entering a critical phase in the league, making this match a significant challenge for us.”

The match between Porto and Bodø/Glimt will be officiated by Israeli referee Orel Grinfeld.