Arsenal are back in Europa League action on Thursday night as they host Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt at the Emirates Stadium in their second Group A match. The visitors sit top of the group, having played one more game than the Gunners with one win and one draw from their matches so far.
Mikel Arteta will be hoping his side can leapfrog their opponents with victory, keeping a 100 percent win record heading into the return fixture next week. While there may be some rotation, the Spaniard has already said he won't underestimate them, calling upon Norway international Martin Odegaard to give him some insight into the upcoming task.
"We’ve done that homework," Arteta said in his press conference before the match. "We have made the players aware of the team we’re facing tomorrow, their history and what they’ve done in the last few years. We’ve got Martin [Odegaard] in the squad as well who knows them really well and he’s done the homework in the dressing room to make sure they know it’s going to be a tough game."
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Bodo/Glimt are no strangers to overcoming the odds, finishing second in the league in 2019 after being tipped for relegation before going on to win back-to-back league titles the following years. Their forays into Europe in recent times have brought about relative success too, thrashing Roma 6-1 last season.
Discussing his fellow countrymen on the official Arsenal website, Odegaard provided a warning, saying: "They’ve made some great signings and they have an excellent coach too in Kjetil Knutsen. They have given him the time to work there and they have a very solid team now. The way they play the game, everyone knows the system and it has been working really well for them."
It remains to be seen exactly how tough of a test Bodo/Glimt will pose when they travel to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night. However, Arsenal may have to be at the top of their game if they are to get a victory that will make sure they top the group after two games played.
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