Eleven home games, eleven wins – Viking cannot afford a slip before Bodø
The title race in Norway could hardly be closer. Viking and Bodø/Glimt are level on 56 points, with Bodø ahead on goal difference by a single goal, and the two meet at Aspmyra next Friday. Before that, Viking have to deal with Tromsø four days after a 3-1 Champions League defeat at Aston Villa. At Lyse Arena they have been perfect this season, with 11 wins from 11 league games. Tromsø are fourth but have drawn their last two games.
„Vi prøver å bare tenke én kamp om gangen. Det er en tøff motstander, og vi kommer til å gjøre alt vi kan for å vinne den kampen.“ – Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim (“We are just trying to think one game at a time. They are a tough opponent, and we will do everything we can to win.”)
Predicted lineups: Viking vs Tromsø
Viking are again without Kristoffer Askildsen, who serves the second game of his two-match ban for the red card at Brann. He has started 21 of 23 league games in midfield. Without him, and with Zlatko Tripić on the bench, Viking still beat Fredrikstad 3-2 last weekend. The bigger question is Tripić: he is one yellow card away from missing the Bodø game, and Lunde Aarsheim has laughed off the idea of asking him to play at 80 per cent. Kristoffer Haugen, Henrik Falchener and Henrik Rørvik Bjørdal are expected to be available again after missing the start in Birmingham. Tromsø are without Leon Hien, who is suspended, and Mathias Tønnessen, who is injured. The line-ups are based on the latest league line-ups and Viking’s comments this week.
Viking Team News & Preview
Viking’s home form is what makes them title contenders: 11 wins, including 5-0 against Bodø/Glimt, 4-1 against Molde and 8-1 against Kristiansund. They score 2.6 goals per league game, and Peter Christiansen leads the scoring with 14 goals. Tripić has set up 19 goals and is Viking’s highest-rated player on FotMob.
The Champions League has been demanding. Viking drew 3-3 with Bayern and lost 3-1 at Villa on Wednesday, and Tripić called their first half „very disappointing“. Some regulars started on the bench in Birmingham, and the return of Haugen, Falchener and Bjørdal helps. What has to be managed now is fatigue and the Tripić card situation.
What works for or against Viking
- Eleven home league wins out of eleven.
- Christiansen has 14 league goals and Tripić 19 assists.
- Four days after a draining Champions League trip to Birmingham.
- Askildsen is suspended again.
Tromsø Team News & Preview
Tromsø are fighting Molde for third place and a European spot. They have plenty of goals in the side: Heine Åsen Larsen has 10, Jens Hjertø-Dahl seven and Troy Nyhammer six. Away from home, though, they have been inconsistent, with four wins, three draws and four defeats, and they lost 5-0 at Bodø and 5-3 at Rosenborg.
Jørgen Vik usually sets up with a back five, which has helped them keep nine clean sheets in the league. Their last league visit to Stavanger ended 4-4 in April 2025. Leon Hien, who has started six league games, is suspended.
What works for or against Tromsø
- Nine league clean sheets this season.
- Åsen Larsen has 10 league goals.
- Only four wins in 11 away games.
- Two draws in a row and Hien suspended.
Viking vs Tromsø Odds
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Viking vs. Tromso Form Guide
Viking Form, Stats & Data
Viking do not need much of the ball to hurt teams. They average less than half the possession but 2.33 expected goals per game, the clearest sign of how direct and effective their attacks are. They also concede less than a goal per game, which is why their home record is so strong.
Tromso Form, Stats & Data
Tromsø are a good side, and their numbers back up fourth place. But they allow 1.37 expected goals per game, and against an attack that has scored at least twice in all 11 of its home league games, that is likely to be tested.
Viking vs Tromsø: Prediction & Betting Tip
Viking’s home form is too strong to ignore. Eleven wins out of eleven, almost three goals per home game and a title race that leaves them no room for a draw. Tromsø have been inconsistent away, they are missing Hien, and Viking have not lost to them in their last six meetings.
Fatigue is the main worry. Viking were outplayed in the first half at Villa Park on Wednesday, Askildsen is still out, and if Tripić plays carefully to avoid a booking, they lose some of their sharpness in midfield. Even so, Viking beat Fredrikstad without Askildsen and with Tripić on the bench, and their home crowd has carried them all season. I am backing Viking to win at 1.47 with Winz and see a 3-1 home win.