Manchester City fell in a shock 3-1 Champions League defeat to spirited Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday.
Playing three days after their deserved 2-0 loss at cross-city rivals Manchester United, Pep Guardiola’s team was bereft of ideas when Bodo/Glimt dropped into their defensive shape and then vulnerable when the hosts surged forward in numbers.
Bodo/Glimt led 2-0 at halftime after Kasper Hogh twice capitalized on sloppy defending from City in front of 12,000 supporters in northern Norway. Jens Petter Hauge superbly picked out the top corner to establish a three-goal advantage before Rayan Cherki struck for the visitors.
Rodri endured a rotten outing for City. For the third goal, he surrendered possession before he was easily bypassed by Hauge. He was sent off shortly afterward for two quick-fire yellows. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, who tore his ACL in September 2024, was among a number of City players who were far below their usual standards in last Saturday’s Manchester derby.
53 – There were just 53 seconds between Rodri’s first and second yellow cards, the fewest for a sending off for an English club in the UEFA Champions League since Wayne Rooney for Man Utd against Villarreal in September 2005 (4 seconds). Quickfire. pic.twitter.com/303G9vCaUa
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 20, 2026
Bodo/Glimt recorded the famous win in their first competitive match since Dec. 10, 2025. They drew 2-2 at Borussia Dortmund on that occasion.
The result puts Manchester City’s chances of finishing in the top eight – and therefore earning a direct route into the Champions League knockout rounds – at risk. City faced Real Madrid in the knockout-phase playoffs last season after finishing below the leading pack and wound up losing 6-3 on aggregate.
Manchester City take on Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane’s Galatasaray in their final match of the Champions League’s opening phase Jan. 28.