Bodo/Glimt vs Manchester City (UEFA Champions League): Match Preview, Team News, Head to Head, How To Watch | OneFootball

Manchester City will look to turn a new page after a crushing 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford as they now travel to face Bodo/Glimt in the Arctic Circle.

City come into this fixture having suffered a further blow to their Premier League title hopes following defeat in the Manchester derby courtesy of second-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu.

The Blues rarely looked like mounting a serious challenge, with several players appearing fatigued and below usual standards. Pep Guardiola was candid in his post-match assessment, conceding that “the better team won” and that “they had the energy that we didn’t.”

The defeat brought Manchester City’s 13-match unbeaten run across all competitions to an end and saw Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table to seven points having been held to a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest themselves.

Attention now turns to Champions League action, as Pep Guardiola’s side travel to the Arctic Circle to face Eliteserien outfit Bodo/Glimt, who currently sit 32nd in the Champions League table having collected just three points from their opening six matches.

The Eliteserien season does not resume until 14 March, having concluded on 30 November, meaning Bodo/Glimt have played just one competitive fixture in over six weeks; a 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund.

While that extended break has limited match sharpness, it has afforded last season’s Eliteserien runners-up ample recovery time, supplemented by a pair of friendlies in an effort to maintain rhythm.

That schedule stands in stark contrast to City’s, who have played no fewer than 13 matches over the same period with signs of fatigue increasingly evident in recent performances. Factor in an over four-hour journey to one of Norway’s northernmost towns, and it becomes clear that rotation will be crucial if City are to approach with intensity and energy.

Manchester City have already guaranteed themselves a place in the play-offs, with it now mathematically impossible for them to fall outside the top 24. That does not render this fixture meaningless, however, as Pep Guardiola’s side must continue to push if they are to bypass the play-offs and secure automatic qualification for the round of 16.

For Bodo/Glimt, progression is close to impossible. The Norwegian side would need victories over both Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, while also relying on back-to-back defeats for the eight teams sitting between them and 24th to keep their European hopes alive.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Bodo/Glimt!

Match Details

Bodo/Glimt vs Manchester City kicks off at 17:45 (UK) on Tuesday 20 January at the Aspmyra Stadion in Bodo, Norway.

Match Officials

Sven Jablonski will oversee proceedings on Tuesday night, in what will be his first time officiating a Manchester City fixture.

The full list of match officials can be found below!

Team News

Bodo/Glimt will be without Jostein Gundersen – who is serving the third game of his suspension following a red card against AS Monaco, while Haitam Aleesami is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Josko Gvardiol could yet be sidelined for the remainder of the season, if not the majority of the still ongoing campaign, with Ruben Dias and John Stones also remaining absent through their respective injury recovery processes.

Matheus Nunes missed out on Saturday afternoon’s derby through flu and has not returned to the squad for Tuesday night, despite a hopeful view internally over his chances of making a return against Wolves at the weekend.

Mateo Kovacic remains absent with a return expected sometime within the next few weeks as he continues to recover from an operation on his heel. Nico Gonzalez has been unavailable for the last two fixtures and remains out of the travelling squad list.

Savinho and Oscar Bobb also both remain unavailable for selection through injury, while Phil Foden is also a doubt after his half-time substitution in the derby but has been named in City’s 21-man squad.

Bernardo Silva is suspended for this fixture having picked up too many yellow cards in the Champions League so far, while Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi are not available having not been eligible for the league phase of the competition.

Pep Guardiola’s Press Conference Quotes

“Top central defender [Marc Guehi], playing for national team. Thanks to the Club to bring him because he’s the perfect age, many years, can play right and left. And to him especially because I know how much he wanted to choose us… It’s really, really important he’s here.”

“I’m pretty sure if he had a long contract at Crystal Palace it would have been impossible, but the fact it’s six months [left], end of contract, the situation was easier. But Crystal Palace and the Club have to agree and after, the player decided to come. Otherwise, in that situation, it would not be possible.”

“We didn’t talk one word about [Manchester] United, I think we’ll talk before Wolves, but now it’s another competition. Last season [at this stage], we had seven points, we have 13. In this moment, we were in Paris, 0-2 in five or 10 minutes of the second-half, and we lost 4-2. PSG was out, and after they won unbelievably the Champions League deservedly. Today we have 13 [points], the chance to qualify in the top-eight; that is enough of an argument to be focussed on tomorrow, not the past.”

“He [Phil Foden] has a little bit broken his bones [in his hand vs Manchester United], but he has a protection and he’s fine for tomorrow.”

“Excuse me my friend, I’ve been one year ago in Oslo… and it’s top! That’s why I know the area perfectly, and the weather as well.”

“He [Erling Haaland] said to me he slept unbelievably. So he’s fit.”

I don’t know, I have no idea [on Oscar Bobb]. He says he’s not fit, so he’s not fit.”

Head To Head

Tuesday evening’s fixture will mark the first time that the two teams have met, with this also being the first season that Bodo/Glimt have qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

Statistics

Bodø/Glimt have never beaten an English opponent, with a record of five losses and one draw in six encounters (the draw came against Tottenham Hotspur this season).

This is Manchester City’s first-ever match against a Norwegian side.

English teams are unbeaten in their last nine major European away games in Norway (W6, D3).

Bodo/Glimt  has scored two or more goals in nine of their last 10 home games in all competitions.

Erling Haaland has failed to score in open play in his last seven appearances, his longest ever run without an open play goal.

Bodo/Glimt are the Northernmost team to have featured in the UEFA Champions League.

Bodo/Glimt have the highest expected goals against tally in the Champions League this season with 17.2.

A win for Manchester City would see Pep Guardiola become only the third manager to oversee 25 away wins with the same club in the Champions League.

How To Watch

Viewers in the UK will be able to watch the game on Amazon Prime as well as TNT Sports and Discovery+. Radio coverage will be available on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Those watching in the USA will be able to watch on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.

Check out the full global TV listings HERE.

City Xtra will have full live coverage available on our X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram channels throughout matchday, with content also provided on cityxtra.co.uk!