BODO – Manchester City’s Champions League campaign hit a major stumbling block on Tuesday night as they suffered a shock 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt at the Aspmyra Stadium. Despite being heavy favorites, Pep Guardiola’s rotated side struggled to adapt to the freezing Norwegian conditions and a clinical home team.
The result marks City’s second consecutive defeat in all competitions, following their 2-0 Derby loss to Manchester United, piling the pressure on Guardiola as the season reaches its business end.
A First-Half Nightmare
The hosts took the lead in the 22nd minute when Kasper Høgh powered home a header from an Ole Didrik Blomberg cross. Before City could recover, the same duo struck again; a lightning-fast counter-attack saw Blomberg turn provider once more for Høgh to double the lead, leaving the English champions shell-shocked.
Rodri Red Card and the Cherki Consolation
Guardiola’s hopes of a comeback were effectively extinguished 17 minutes into the second half. Rodri, usually the team’s most disciplined anchor, received two quick yellow cards in succession and was sent off.
Down to ten men, City conceded a third goal as Jens Petter Hauge finished another clinical counter-attack. While January signing Rayan Cherki managed to pull one back with a brilliant low strike from outside the box, it was too little, too late for the visitors.
Defeat in Norway.
🟡 3-1 💚 pic.twitter.com/GhgBecuyG2
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 20, 2026
Qualification in the Balance
Manchester City entered Matchday 7 in fourth place with 13 points, needing a win to guarantee a spot in the Round of 16. This setback means:
- Play-off Risk: City now likely need a result in the final round to avoid a dangerous two-legged play-off phase.
- Form Slump: With two losses in a week, questions are being asked about Guardiola’s squad rotation during a congested fixture list.
City must now regroup quickly before their final group-stage game to ensure they don’t face an early exit or an unwanted extra round of fixtures in February.
Thiago Nuno is a football editor and analyst covering European leagues, match statistics, and transfer market trends.
