City focused on UEFA Champions League top-eight finish, says O'Reilly | OneFootball

Nico O’Reilly says securing a positive result in our latest UEFA Champions League clash away at Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night could help City take a huge step towards securing an all-important top-eight finish.

The Blues will go into the match, which gets underway at 17.45pm (UK), sitting fourth in the composite UEFA Champions League table after our first six matches.

We have 13 points to date, having garnered four wins, a draw and a sole loss to date.

That fine sequence means another positive result tomorrow would put us in a very strong position to seal that top eight finish – and with it avoid the need to go into February’s two-legged last 16 play-offs.

But pitted against a talented Bodo, who will be backed by a passionate home crowd and with the game being played on their artificial surface, he said City were braced for a tough clash.

“It’s very important to finish in the top eight,” said the England international.

“It means we would miss the play offs and get more of a break.

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“It’s definitely our aim to win tomorrow and that would put us in a great position for it.

“But we are coming here to win. It will put us in a good position in the league phase.

“We have seen clips of Bodo, we know they can play, they are a good team.

“We have seen the results against huge teams that have come here and played them.

“We know it’s going to be a difficult game, but we are coming here to win.

“It will put us in a good position in the league phase.

“We know it’s going to be a difficult game but we’ll be ready for it.”

Bodo is so far north it lies inside the Arctic Circle with the temperature forecast to be around minus 2 degrees come kick off.

However, O’Reilly said City were braced for the challenge of both the freezing Norwegian winter conditions as well as the challenge of playing on an artificial surface.

“It will be different,” O’Reilly added.

“We are training on it tonight so we get used to a bit.

“It’s cold out there. The environment will be different.

“It’s cold. We are not used to it being this cold.

“We go to places like Newcastle and it’s similar. We are used to it in a way, it’s fine, it’s not an excuse we will just have to wrap up!

“We are excited to play on it and it’s a different challenge for us.”

City v Newcastle Second leg tickets available!

See the conclusion of what promises to be a thrilling final four tie at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday 4 February.

Newcastle are the holders of the Carabao Cup and will be determined to hold on to their crown, while City are seeking a ninth success in League Cup history.

Tickets start from £20 for adults and £10 for concessions, while a wide range of hospitality packages are also on offer to make it a special occasion!

*On sale to Season Ticket Members and existing Cityzens Matchday and Junior Members (as of Tue 16 Dec 2025) who have purchased 1+ home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium. 4 tickets per person.

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