Rodri, Haaland struggle as Man City battered by brilliant Bodo/Glimt | OneFootball

Bodo/Glimt were playing their first competitive match in over a month, yet they worked harder, ran further and played better than Manchester City on a historic Champions League night for the Nordic minnows.

Kjetil Knutsen’s side were handed a brutal Champions League draw. Manchester City at home was arguably the worst of the lot. Yet it was the fixture where everything finally came together following an unlucky draw against Tottenham Hotspur, narrow home defeats to AS Monaco and Juventus, and an impressive draw away at Borussia Dortmund.

Bodo/Glimt’s first ever Champions League win

It was a dream night for Bodo. It was a nightmare beyond belief for City.

Pep Guardiola’s team selection was bold. Rayan Ait-Nouri, a left-back, played at right-back. Rico Lewis, a right-back still finding his feet, played on the left. Max Alleyne stayed in the side as Nathan Ake dropped out. Rodri and his dodgy knees played despite the game being on an artificial pitch. Nico O’Reilly featured in midfield – his natural position, but not his best.

Still, most predicted a routine City victory. They have won this competition before. They are second in the Premier League. Bodo are Norwegian minnows playing in the Champions League for the first time this season.

Yet a quickfire brace from Kasper Hogh gave the visitors a Scandinavian mountain to climb with over an hour left. If you weren’t watching, you would have been bracing yourself for a City comeback. If you were, it felt like Bodo might win by three or four.

They made it three in the 58th minute through a wonderful Jens Petter Hauge strike that left Gianluigi Donnarumma a mere spectator.

The Italian goalkeeper had previously produced a top save to keep it at 2-0, while Bodo hit the bar and had two goals disallowed for offside. City were being flattered by a 3-0 scoreline, much like they were when losing 2-0 to Manchester United.

Rodri red card dampens Man City comeback

Rayan Cherki did pull one back to give the freezing City fans something to cheer.

However, the most damaging moment of the night came two minutes later, as Rodri was sent off and almost entirely extinguished any hope of a comeback.

The Spaniard has never received more than two yellow cards in a Champions League season before, but he picked up two in as many minutes for similar counter-stopping fouls. It was rash, something you’d expect from a kid, not a 29-year-old Ballon d’Or winner.

Speaking of kids, it was a rough night for young centre-back Alleyne, playing in Europe for the first time after a solid run of games since returning from his Watford loan.

Now that Marc Guehi has arrived, we may not see much of Alleyne in the Premier League or Champions League during the second half of the season.

This was no fluke. It was thoroughly deserved and long overdue for Bodo. They should have beaten Spurs earlier in the campaign, but saving their first-ever Champions League win for previous winners Manchester City will do just fine.

Haaland and Rodri struggles continue

Since Rodri returned from injury, City have won just one game in which he has started, against League One Exeter City in the FA Cup. Once the most indispensable player in Guardiola’s squad, his post-injury form is a major cause for concern.

Yet despite City’s struggles with Rodri in the starting XI, he doesn’t appear to be as big a problem as Erling Haaland.

When Haaland isn’t scoring, questions inevitably arise about his overall contribution and whether City are better with or without him. He has missed big chances in recent weeks and squandered another on Tuesday night.

Guardiola should be worried. More worried than he is about any supposed agenda against City. The referee was not playing against you, mate. If anyone deserves criticism for the red card it’s Rodri, not the official.

City, as a whole, have looked off the boil throughout the year. Is it time to drop the Nordic robot? Or will the floodgates reopen once he scores again? It’s one goal in eight games, and none in four.

Have City moved on from Rodri? Or does he simply need more minutes? Class is permanent, and all that.

Kjetil Knutsen: Good enough for the Premier League

We can talk all night about how bad City were, but the bigger question is this: when will Knutsen get a move to a major club?

He has done remarkable work at Bodo and has been rewarded only with tenuous links to Celtic and Rangers. Perhaps a Premier League club should take a chance on him.

Not a Big Six side, but one looking to punch above its weight. Knutsen specialises in taking small clubs to unprecedented heights, not managing teams expected to dominate.

Little old Bodo/Glimt shouldn’t be competing for titles, yet Knutsen has masterminded four Eliteserien triumphs and enjoyed sustained success in Europe.

Last season, Bodo became the first Norwegian side to reach a Europa League semi-final, losing to Spurs. Now they have beaten a former Champions League winner.

He is already a club legend. He might not want a new challenge, but he has certainly earned one.