Viking stun Bayern and put a 34-year revival on Europe’s stage
Published: 2026-10-20 08:11:00
Viking’s Champions League draw with Bayern Munich was more than a memorable night in Stavanger: it was proof, the club’s leaders say, that their Norwegian side can compete with Europe’s elite.
Chief executive Eirik Bjorno recalled the shock of Viking scoring from their first corner. Sporting director Erik Nevland said the result exceeded anything the club had imagined. Bayern turned the match around with three goals, but Michael Olise was sent off and Viking rallied to secure a draw.
“The most important learning is that we can actually compete. We can actually cope with the tempo,” Bjorno said of the occasion, which he described as the biggest match in the club’s history. Viking captain Zlatko Tripic was also at the centre of the drama surrounding Olise’s dismissal. Asked about criticism of Tripic from Bayern’s board member Max Eberl, Nevland replied: “But he is our scumbag.”
From a 5-0 defeat to champions
The club’s current European adventure is a striking contrast with its low point in June 2018, when Viking lost 5-0 to Nest-Sotra in Norway’s second tier. Bjorno recalled that only 274 spectators watched the defeat. Viking recovered to win promotion by a single point, then built steadily towards a return to the top of Norwegian football.
In 2025, Viking won the league title for the first time in 34 years. The club’s leaders credit that turnaround to a combination of Norway’s improved player-development environment and Viking’s own focus on academy graduates, local commitment and continuity in key positions.
Nevland, a former Manchester United and Fulham player who began at Viking as a child and has returned to the club in several capacities, said the leadership group recognised that change was necessary. “We realised that we were bad. Something needed to change,” he said. He added that people with deep ties to the club had helped create a culture capable of lasting beyond individual player departures.
A joint coaching model and long-term ambition
Viking have also chosen an unusual structure on the touchline, with former club players Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen working as joint head coaches. Bjorno said the club judged the arrangement on whether it was the best choice for Viking, rather than whether it was conventional. Nevland described the decision as a gamble that has become central to the club’s approach.
The European income offers greater financial security and room to recruit, but Viking’s executives say they intend to invest with the future in mind. Bjorno pointed to potential improvements to the training ground, facilities and stadium, with the aim of ensuring the club remains strong for generations.
Domestically, Viking are battling Bodo/Glimt for the Norwegian title, with the sides level on points and seven matches remaining in the season at the time of the interview. For Nevland, the challenge is to enjoy the achievement without losing sight of the club’s identity. “The biggest danger in football is that you lose yourself very quickly because you are looking for success all the time,” he said.
Viking’s Champions League schedule still includes trips to Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid and Napoli. After climbing from the depths of the second division, the club now faces the task of turning a historic European breakthrough into durable progress at home.