Two clubs just punched their tickets to the Champions League group stage for the very first time. Kairat Almaty from Kazakhstan and Norway’s Bodo/Glimt fought through the playoffs. They earned their spots in the upcoming draw. While neither team is a European giant, don’t be fooled. Few clubs will want to see their name drawn against these two, especially if it means a trip to their home turf.
Let’s talk about Kairat first. This club, famous for its futsal success, calls Almaty home. This city sits on the far eastern edge of Kazakhstan, practically a stone’s throw from the Chinese border. Imagine if a team like Sporting Lisbon had to visit. (Sporting is the only Portuguese club qualified so far, though Benfica might join them soon). That journey from Lisbon to Almaty would mean at least seven and a half hours in the air. We’re talking more than 6,000 kilometers. The time difference alone is four hours ahead. Just to put it in perspective, flying to New York in the United States is quicker.
Vitoria de Guimarães knows all about this epic travel. Last year, under coach Rui Borges, they played Astana in the Conference League. The match was held in Almaty. The team from Guimarães faced a trip that lasted over 20 hours in total. That’s 18 hours just flying, not even counting waiting times. It included bus rides from Guimarães to Porto airport and then from Almaty airport to their hotel and the stadium. Those last bus trips were thankfully only about 15 minutes each. This trek became the longest journey a Portuguese club has ever made in European competitions.
Then there’s Bodo/Glimt. The distance to their home in Norway isn’t as extreme, under 3,500 kilometers. The flight time is a bit over six hours. But they bring their own set of challenges, especially during winter. The time difference is easier, only one hour ahead. However, average temperatures in winter hover around zero degrees Celsius, or even colder. Their location, right inside the Arctic Circle, means very little daylight in the colder months. Picture this: on December 21st, there are only about 45 minutes of natural light.
