Manchester City’s struggles in 2026 deepened on Tuesday night as they were comprehensively beaten 3–1 by Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League, with the Norwegian side delivering a ruthless attacking display.
Pep Guardiola’s team arrived in Norway hoping to bounce back from their recent derby defeat, but instead suffered another setback that has cast doubt over their chances of finishing in the top eight of the league phase.
City were unable to cope with Bodo/Glimt’s intensity and movement, particularly in the first half.
The hosts took control midway through the opening period, slicing through City’s patched-up defence as Kasper Høgh struck twice in quick succession in the 22nd and 24th minutes.
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The goals stunned the Premier League champions and marked a historic moment for Bodo/Glimt, who recorded their first-ever European victory over an English club.
City’s problems continued after the interval when Jens Petter Hauge produced a superb long-range effort to make it 3–0, further exposing Guardiola’s side.
Bodo/Glimt threatened to extend their lead, with a goal ruled out for offside and Høgh narrowly missing out on a hat-trick, while Hauge also hit the crossbar with another powerful strike.
Rayan Cherki briefly offered City some hope with a consolation goal, but any chance of a comeback quickly faded. Stand-in captain Rodri was shown a red card after receiving two yellow cards within the space of a minute, leaving City to finish the match with 10 men.
Although City have already booked a place in the knockout round play-offs, the defeat leaves their hopes of securing a top-eight finish hanging in the balance.
They will now need a positive result in their final group-stage match against Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium to avoid a more demanding schedule in February.
