Five Things Learned: Bodo/Glimt 3-1 Manchester City (UEFA Champions League) | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Champions League campaign suffered a serious jolt in northern Norway as Bodo/Glimt produced a performance that will live long in European memory, dismantling Pep Guardiola’s side 3-1 at Aspmyra Stadion.

Kasper Høgh scored two goals in less than two minutes in the first half, both of which resulted from mistakes by the Manchester City defence on the left side. Jens Petter Hauge then scored a stunning goal early in the second half, putting the game beyond City’s control.

The team looked shaky, worn out, and worryingly vulnerable, although Rayan Cherki reduced the deficit with a low shot of his own. But any prospect of a comeback quickly faded as our captain on the night, Rodri received two yellow cards in 53 seconds and was sent off.

The final scoreline flattered Manchester City, in truth; Bodo/Glimt hit the crossbar, had two goals disallowed, and continued to exploit a vulnerable defence.

This defeat landed heavily for Manchester City, with qualification for the UEFA Champions League’s knockout rounds still likely, but automatic progression is now in doubt ahead of the final game in the league phase.

Here are Five Things We Learned from Manchester City’s disappointing performance.

City were unrecognisable defensively and Bodo exposed it ruthlessly

Manchester City are used to conceding possession at times, but what happened in Norway was worse.

Bodø/Glimt didn’t just counter-attack City, they ripped through them repeatedly with clarity, speed, and confidence. Most of the damage happened on City’s left, as Max Alleyne and Nico O’Reilly had a lot of trouble with Ole Didrik Blomberg’s movement and delivery.

Both of Kasper Høgh’s goals were similar: Bodø worked the ball wide and delivered it early, and Manchester City’s defensive organisation collapsed. Alleyne was caught underneath the first cross and slow to recover for the second, making a mistake even worse right away.

The distance between City’s back four were inconsistent, there was no midfield screen, and Bodø attacked without hesitation as soon as they saw a weakness. Gianluigi Donnarumma was left exposed a lot, and the fact City went into the half just 2-0 down had more to do with Bodø’s poor finishing than City’s quality.

Ultimately, Manchester City’s makeshift defence did not seem to know where each other were or what their responsibilities were, and Bodø saw it right away and punished them.

Bodo/Glimt’s bravery dismantled City’s control model

At half-time, Manchester City had about 70 per cent of the ball, but it was Bodø/Glimt who really ran the game. The visitors’ usual strategy of controlling through possession worked against them as they attacked with few touches and sent more players forward, with limited protection provided to their backline.

Kjetil Knutsen’s team were aggressive when they pressed, but were most dangerous when City lost the ball higher up the pitch. Every time City conceded possession, it was an invitation to attack space behind. Høgh smartly took space in the middle, while Jens Petter Hague and Blomberg ran City defenders back, midfielders flooded forward, and City had no answer.

This wasn’t a smash-and-grab; Bodø were well-organised, composed, and unfazed. They trusted instincts and ability to attack exposed space. The fact they had two goals disallowed, one shot off the crossbar, and how easily they got to City’s box all pointed to the fact their victory was no fluke.

It was a reminder for City that having the ball without defensive protection does not mean anything. They did not have their usual rest defence, and their counter-press didn’t work. City were open to attack by an opponent who were brave enough to take advantage of it and were made to pay the price.

Rodri’s night summed up Manchester City’s wider disarray

Rodri’s red card will be the main story after the game, but it was just the last thing that went wrong for Manchester City’s most important midfielder in the match. He did not look sharp from the start, and it is apparent that he is still recovering from injury.

He was caught in possession early in the game, misplaced easy passes, and had a hard time covering ground when City were sliced open during transitions. For Bodø’s third goal, Rodri gave the ball away and couldn’t get it back.

The two yellow cards that he received came within 53 seconds. Both fouls were cynical attempts to stop counter-attacks that City would not have been able to prevent otherwise. It was an unusual mistake for a player of his calibre, but it showed how frustrated he was and how out of control City looked. Once he was sent off, there was no real chance of a comeback.

Rodri’s performance brought attention to a bigger structural problem. City’s second-half setup made him responsible for cleaning up transitions on his own. That was a risky bet because he wasn’t sharp enough for the match, and Bodø punished him mercilessly.

City’s attacking problems are now as worrying as their defence

During this season, usually City’s problems were pinpointed as either Rodri’s absence or a lack of stability in defence. In Norway, the team’s lack of attacking sharpness was equally concerning. Erling Haaland had a frustrating night in his country. In the first half, he missed two excellent chances and then looked fatigued for the rest of the game.

Once again, Phil Foden remained largely anonymous, failing to impact the game significantly before his substitution. Tijjani Reijnders had a rich vein of form before Christmas, but that seems to have faded, and he didn’t do much to get through. City’s attacks too often ended with hopeful balls into the box or rushed shots after the transitions had already broken down.

Rayan Cherki was the only one who tried to create something. He always wanted the ball, ran at defenders, and stepped up when City were struggling. His goal, a low, angled shot just after Hauge’s goal, made it seem like there might be a comeback. But even that was more about individual initiative than teamwork.

Earlier in the campaign, Manchester City were doing well when they shared goals beyond Erling Haaland. That balance is absent now. City are having problems at both ends of the pitch right now: their defence is more prone to errors, and their attack is becoming less reliable.

This defeat felt symbolic, not incidental

Every Champions League season has that one result that reframes perception. For Manchester City, this may prove to be it. Not because their qualification is suddenly in doubt – it is not – but because of how thoroughly they were outplayed.

Bodø/Glimt’s win was historic for them, but it was also a learning experience for Manchester City. They lost in every way: physically, tactically, and emotionally. The hosts’ energy, intensity, and belief were too much for a City team that looked tired, hesitant and unsure.

Guardiola’s post-game body language was unmistakable. He didn’t make any big gestures; he just quietly admitted that things aren’t right. Some of this is because of injuries, but not all of it. Confidence is low, form is dropping, and solutions aren’t clear right away.

Manchester City now have a busy few days ahead of them, with Galatasaray coming up and the possibility of an extra play-off round. This is not good news for their already stretched squad.

More importantly, they need to stop their performance from worsening, which has happened since the start of the new year, with them only collecting three points out of a possible twelve in the Premier League.

This was a night that showed where the team was weak: the defence was shaky, the midfield lacked control, and the attack lacked confidence. City can still respond, as they have so many times under Guardiola, but this loss exposed serious weaknesses.

It was a reminder that in Europe, reputation doesn’t protect you, and that even the best teams can lose when they lose their structure, confidence, and precision.

For Bodø/Glimt, it was history. For Manchester City, it was a warning.