Start vs Bodo/Glimt - Eliteserien

A fascinating Eliteserien chapter awaits on May 20, 2026 when Start take on Bodo/Glimt at the home ground — two sides with plenty to play for and everything to prove. It has not been a daunting fixture list but there are signs that Mourinho has found a way to get the best from an increasingly stacked Madrid squad.

Start head into the contest positioned 16th in the Eliteserien standings, while Bodo/Glimt arrive sitting 1st. The hosts are badly in need of a turnaround, with WLWLL in their last five and a win rate of just 20% highlighting their struggles. The visitors have been formidable away from home, LWWWD in their last five and a win rate of 80% that puts them in elite company. Their respective approaches this season have differed noticeably, and the tactical contrast could prove telling. The midfielder faces a significant period on the sidelines after being stretchered off during Uruguay's 1-0 defeat to Spain in the recent FIFA World Cup.

Tactically, the contest promises a fascinating contrast. Start will look to impose their style on home soil, while Bodo/Glimt are likely to have ideas of their own about how to gain the upper hand. And his efficiency in possession will be helped by those whom he now shares a dressing room with, allowing a more progressive midfielder to develop akin to City's style.

The fixture boasts genuine star quality. With Amin Chiakha topping the Eliteserien scoring charts at 12 goals, the stage is set for the kind of individual brilliance that can swing a contest. Whoever wins the individual duel between the two sides' chief playmakers is likely to dictate the rhythm and, ultimately, the destination of the points. However, at 24, there should still be considerable room for development.More importantly, Newcastle need a midfielder capable of contributing immediately.

Predictions are tricky when the sides are this evenly matched, and small margins — a moment of quality, a slice of luck — could decide it either way. Given the balance of the numbers, Bodo/Glimt look capable of springing a surprise on the road — a 1-3 away victory is a distinct possibility. With positions in the Eliteserien table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. Harry Kane is the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or.