Manchester City suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats in their European history on Tuesday night, crashing to a stunning 3–1 loss against Norwegian underdogs Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League.
Playing in freezing conditions at the Aspmyra Stadion, Manchester City were torn apart by a fearless Bodo/Glimt side led by Kasper Høgh, who scored twice in the first half, before Jens Petter Hauge added a third after the break.
City briefly threatened a comeback when Rayan Cherki pulled one back moments after Hauge’s strike, but the game slipped completely out of reach when Rodri was sent off for a second booking, leaving the Premier League champions exposed.
The defeat marked Bodo/Glimt’s first-ever Champions League group-stage victory, sending the home crowd into wild celebrations in a fishing town located just 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. With a population of about 55,000, the entire town could nearly fit inside City’s Etihad Stadium.
Managed by Kjetil Knutsen, Bodo/Glimt ignored the massive financial and talent gap between the teams, pressing aggressively and playing with remarkable intensity despite not having played a competitive match since December due to the Norwegian league’s winter break.
Their rise has been years in the making. After reaching the Europa League semi-finals last season and earning draws against Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the group, this victory cemented their growing reputation on the European stage.
For Pep Guardiola, the defeat is another worrying sign in a faltering campaign. City arrived in Norway ahead of schedule to acclimatise to the artificial pitch, but still looked disjointed, lethargic and overwhelmed by Bodo/Glimt’s tempo.
The loss compounds City’s recent struggles. Guardiola’s men are winless in their last four Premier League matches and sit seven points behind league leaders Arsenal following Saturday’s derby defeat to Manchester United.
Guardiola had spoken pre-match about enjoying the Northern Lights during his stay, but the humiliation at Aspmyra Stadion will likely overshadow any scenic memories. It ranks among the most chastening defeats of his illustrious managerial career.
City will now look to recover in their final group fixture at home to Galatasaray on January 28, as they push to secure a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16.
