Preview: Bayern Munich vs Bodo/Glimt - prediction, team news, lineups

Heavyweights Bayern Munich will kick off their Champions League campaign on Thursday, when they welcome Bodo/Glimt to the Allianz Arena for their first league-phase clash.

The Bavarians are expecting to continue their unbeaten start, though Superlaget are eyeing an eighth consecutive victory.

Match preview

Vincent Kompany's Bayern reached the Champions League semi-finals last season, and will be hoping to make a strong beginning on the road to this term's showpiece in Madrid.

The Bavarians opened 2026-27 with three domestic wins on the bounce, including a 2-1 victory over Der Klassiker rivals Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup on August 22.

However, that streak was brought to an end on Saturday, when promoted club Schalke 04 held Kompany's side to a 0-0 stalemate.

Bayern will be keen to get back to winning ways on Thursday, an ambition bolstered by the fact that they have come out on top in their opening fixture across each of their last 22 Champions League campaigns.

Additionally, the hosts have lost just once on home turf in 2026, collecting 15 wins while drawing only twice in the process, and anything other than seizing all three points will be seen as a failure for the Bavarians.

Meanwhile, Kjetil Knutsen's Bodo/Glimt fought through two rounds of qualifying to reach the league phase, and they will be vying to prove that their efforts were not in vain.

Superlaget beat Union Saint-Gilloise 6-5 on aggregate in the third qualifying round, before thrashing NEC Nijmegen 6-1 across two legs in last month's playoff to make this stage.

As a result, Knutsen's side are returning to the Champions League proper after their debut during the 2025-26 edition, which saw them impressively reach the round of 16 - and beat Inter Milan in the knockout-phase playoffs.

With that in mind, Bodo/Glimt may be the underdogs heading into Thursday's showdown, but it would be folly to underestimate them, especially considering the team's excellent form.

Superlaget downed Norwegian Eliteserien rivals Fredrikstad 2-1 last Friday, a triumph that marked their sixth win in succession, and extended their unbeaten run to 20 matches overall.

Bayern Munich form (all competitions):

Bodo/Glimt Champions League form:

Bodo/Glimt form (all competitions):

Team News

Bayern will be without versatile forward Serge Gnabry once again, though manager Kompany has stated his hope that the German will be back in contention next week.

In the meantime, Jamal Musiala should be on hand to start in the number 10 role, flanked by Michael Olise and Luis Diaz behind striker Harry Kane.

Elsewhere, centre-back Tarek Buchmann continues his recovery from an ankle injury after undergoing surgery this summer, and Kim Min-jae will join Dayot Upamecano at the heart of the hosts' defence.

As for Bodo/Glimt, they are missing Jostein Gundersen due to a hamstring injury, while fellow centre-half Haitam Aleesami is a doubt with a leg injury, so expect to see Villads Nielsen and Odin Bjortuft start.

The visitors are also lighter in midfield than ideal, given that both Magnus Bech Riisnaes and Hakon Evjen are sidelined with knee injuries, but Sondre Auklend, Patrick Berg and Sondre Brunstad Fet will be ready to start in the centre of the park.

Further forward, the versatile August Mikkelsen is recovering from a groin injury, though left winger Jens Petter Hauge is likely to be available after training this week, despite being forced off through injury against Fredrikstad.

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Laimer, Kim, Upamecano, Davies; Kimmich, Pavlovic; Olise, Musiala, Diaz; Kane

Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:

Haikin; Sjovold, Nielsen, Bjortuft, Bjorkan; Auklend, Berg, Fet; Blomberg, Helmersen, Hauge