CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SHOCKER: LUCIANO SPALLETTI RANKS BODø/GLIMT ABOVE JUVE IN CERTAIN AREAS
Luciano Spalletti warns Juventus face a tough challenge vs Bodo/Glimt. The Juventus manager cites freezing Norwegian weather and an artificial pitch as major disadvantages for his team in this crucial Champions League clash.
Luciano Spalletti thinks Juventus might struggle in their Champions League game against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday. He pointed to the freezing temperatures and the artificial field at Aspmyra Stadion in Norway as potential problems.
Juventus is still trying to get its first Champions League win this season. So far, they've tied with Borussia Dortmund, Villarreal, and Sporting CP, and lost 1-0 to Real Madrid.
With only three points, Juventus isn't in a spot to advance. They're in 26th place, just ahead of Bodo/Glimt, who they play on Tuesday. Bodo/Glimt has two ties and two losses in their first four European games.
Spalletti said that the field and weather put Juventus at a disadvantage.
At a press conference on Monday, Spalletti wanted everyone to stay calm. He said things aren't as bad as they seem after their 1-1 tie with Fiorentina.
“Let’s just take it one step at a time. It's not like we've had total failure. The players did alright. I’ve said before that we need to do better and get out of this situation. We need to use what we have and play to our strengths. I can see that the team wants to do well.”
About the game against Bodo/Glimt, Spalletti added, “The field and weather are a disadvantage. I’ve been lucky enough to coach in other countries. The air is different; it’s really cold, and we're not used to it. It’s just different from what we're used to.”
“We need to want it more than they do to make up for the differences between the two teams. They’re great at finding talented players. It’s not just the field and the cold. They're valuable, and they've played well in international games.”
So, what does Spalletti expect from his players in Norway?
“This is a new challenge, and I hope they can adjust. They need to know how to handle a team that fights hard and makes things tough for everyone. If we want to compete, we need to see how fast they are and play good, smart football, even on this kind of field.”
“In Florence, the ball wasn't moving fast enough in the first half, so we tried to play through the middle. I saw some changes in the second half. We have talent, but we need to complete our passes and not let the other team score on us.
“We need to get used to the weather, avoid mistakes, and play our best. We've been good at punishing teams, but we also need to create space. We need to think beyond the first pass and get better at that.”
How will the artificial field affect Juventus's play?
Spalletti said that the field and the weather are a problem because of the way the ball bounces and moves. That could hurt us, but we’ll deal with it. We’ve been scared before, so we’ll face it and adapt. The field is a factor, but we want to play well.”
Can Juventus learn anything from Lazio's game against Bodo/Glimt last season?
“They play well, but I talk to my players directly. They need to understand that tomorrow will be tough. We’ve watched them, and our analysts have too. Speed is important, and we know that. We want to be ready. We don’t want easy games; we want hard ones. We want to adapt and get credit for it.”
When asked if he would switch to a back four against Bodo/Glimt, Spalletti said he would make some changes to the starting lineup.
“We’ll switch some players around. We can’t leave any gaps because they’re strong and know how to play close together. We need to stay tight and make them play around us.”
ARSENAL POCKET INSANE £125.18M FOLLOWING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL QUALIFICATION
Mikel Arteta's side has added £15.97m to their cash reserves, eclipsing the total earned by current champions PSG last year.
Arsenal have added another £15.97 million to their UEFA prize money haul after securing a spot in the Champions League final with a win against Atletico Madrid. They are set to face either Bayern Munich or the current champions, Paris Saint-Germain, in Budapest on May 30, aiming for their first-ever triumph in this prestigious competition.
Beyond that, there’s an additional £5.61 million up for grabs in Hungary later this month. But up to now, Arsenal have amassed an eye-watering £125.18 million in Champions League prize money this season alone. A place in next season’s European Super Cup also carries a potential reward of around £3.45 million. It’s been a remarkable European run under Mikel Arteta, with the team dominating the group stage by winning all eight matches.
From the very beginning, the club benefited from the initial distribution of TV revenue and the rankings pool, which together amounted to £49.6 million. Even before the knockout rounds kicked off, Arsenal had already secured £85.3 million in prize money.
That total doesn’t even cover the bonuses linked to their on-field success, as each of their eight victories in the group stage brought in roughly £15.8 million altogether.
By finishing first out of 36 group-phase clubs, Arsenal earned an extra £8.6 million, and progressing straight to the round of 16 as one of the top eight teams secured them another £11.3 million.
They continued their strong run by eliminating Bayer Leverkusen after a 1-1 draw away and a 2-0 win at the Emirates, which added £10.8 million more to their earnings.
Overcoming Sporting CP in the quarter-finals also brought a £10.8 million bonus. While Arsenal’s motivation isn’t just financial, this level of income certainly aids in meeting profit and sustainability rules and other financial fair play criteria.
It’s also likely to support their summer transfer budget, as sporting director Andrea Berta looks to build on Arteta’s squad.
Last season, Arsenal took home £98.63 million after reaching the semi-finals before falling to PSG.
PSG, who went on to win the title, collected about £124.62 million last year, so Arsenal have now already surpassed that figure.
Meanwhile, UEFA has set aside a record £2.13 billion in prize money for the 2025-26 Champions League season, highlighting the competition’s growing financial stakes.
JAN OBLAK CONFESSES ATLETICO WERE "AFRAID TO PLAY" AGAINST ARSENAL
Following their Champions League exit, skipper Jan Oblak analysed where Atletico went wrong and paid tribute to Griezmann.
Jan Oblak didn’t hold back after Atletico Madrid crashed out of the Champions League against Arsenal. He said straight up that the team just didn’t do enough to earn a spot in the final. Sure, he’s proud of how far the squad has come recently, but the way they went out still stings.
Oblak was pretty open about where things went wrong, especially after the first leg, when Atletico failed to take an advantage back to London. “I'm disappointed, just like all the fans. Honestly, I can’t find the words. We didn’t do enough to be in the final, and it’s just a tough moment. We had our chances to win, but we didn’t take them. All that’s left is to congratulate Arsenal.”
He didn’t stop there, either. Speaking to CBS Golazo, Oblak was even more direct about the team’s mentality, especially in the first half of both matches. He felt Atletico were hesitant, too respectful of Arsenal, and afraid to play. Both times, they fell behind before halftime and then tried to play catch-up, but it was always a little too late. “This has happened several times this season,” Oblak said, “and while we’ve managed to win those games before, not today when it mattered most.”
On the flip side, Oblak did give some credit to the young players and the growth the team’s shown, especially after a couple of big summers that saw a huge part of the squad change. “The last two seasons, we’ve switched out something like 15 players. A lot of young guys with not much experience came in. They did great in the cup, and they’ve held up in the Champions League too. In the league, we weren’t good enough for the biggest matches, but I’m proud of how the younger ones are growing. Still, when the goal is to win a title, and you don’t, you can’t call it a success. All we can do is look forward and hope we’ll be fighting for trophies next season.”
Saying goodbye to Antoine Griezmann made this exit even sadder for Oblak and the rest of the squad. Griezmann’s heading to Orlando City this summer, bringing the curtain down on his Champions League career with Atletico. “Everyone’s going to miss Griezi; he’s an incredible player and a great guy. The kind of person who’s always smiling, always positive, and does things on the pitch nobody else can. We’ll miss him a lot; the fans will miss him, but he deserves nothing but the best wherever he goes.”
At 33, Oblak is one of Atletico’s true leaders, right behind Koke for the captain’s armband. Alongside Jose Maria Gimenez and Marcos Llorente, he’s been a
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