Manchester City were left stunned as their miserable 2026 continued after Bodo/Glimt produced a scintillating attacking performance to secure a shock 3-1 Champions League victory.
Pep Guardiola would have seen the trip to Norway as the perfect chance to respond following their defeat in the Manchester derby at the weekend, but City's underwhelming run of form continued against Bodo/Glimt to leave their hopes of avoiding the Champions League play-off round in a precarious position.
The Norwegians, who secured their first win in the Champions League, cut through Man City's makeshift defence with ease as Kasper Hogh scored twice (22 and 24) in just under two minutes, both after mistakes from rookie defender Max Alleyne, to stun the Premier League side.
City, who were without 11 senior players through either illness, injury, suspension or ineligibility, saw their problems continue after the break as Jens Petter Hauge's stunner extended the advantage for the hosts.
The manner in which Bodo repeatedly troubled City on the break was alarming as they threatened to add to their score. Hakon Evjen had a goal disallowed before Hogh was denied a hat-trick by the offside flag. Hauge also rattled the crossbar with another long-range effort as City looked wide open.
Rayan Cherki did pull a goal back for City, but their problems went from bad to worse as captain for the night Rodri was sent off after picking up two bookings in just 53 seconds.
It proved to be a difficult night for City, who had already secured a spot in the knockout round play-offs, with the players looking dejected as the scoreline flattered them.
The defeat piled on the misery for City after their derby loss to Manchester United and it leaves their hopes of finishing in the top-eight of the league phase and avoiding a busy Ferbuary fixture schedule in the balance as they face a crunch clash against Galatasaray in their final match next week.
Man City manager Pep Guardiola on his side's performance in defeat to Bodo/Glimt:
"I don't agree [it was a flat performance].
"We didn't have Jeremy (Doku) or Savinho or proper wingers and other departments we had many important players that aren't here and give us more consistency that we have, but I didn't have the feeling that today the team was not there.
"They are well organised, they force you to go outside and we don't have players to go one against one and make moments behind.
"In general, they are really good so congratulate them.
"I know how good a team they are. The semi-final last year of the Europa League and they are fresh in mind and we arrived in some departments we had important players that could not give consistency to the team.
"They were a little fragile like last season in certain periods, but how they fought 10 against 11 a lot of players need a step up. We have to change the dynamic quick against Wolves and Galatasaray and are waiting for players to come back step by step."
Tim Sherwood on Soccer Special:
"City are still in a good position in the Champions League league phase, but they have had a couple of opportunities now to put this to bed and be able to rest some players, not that they have too many to rest at the moment as they are struggling with a few injuries.
"But it has been a wonderful performance by Bodo/Glimt and it will go down in history as perhaps their best-ever performance.
"It was impossible to believe [Rodri's red], he is an experienced player, someone we feel City cannot do without, he was average in the game, like many City players tonight, he has just come back from a cruciate, he is playing on astroturf, which is a strange decision to put him out there.
"And it looked like he was not happy and tried to get himself sent off - once he is on a yellow card, he knows full well that once he pulls the guy back, he is going to get another yellow. It was so soon after the first one, it was a horrendous decision from an experienced player and it gives the team absolutely zero chance after that to come back in this game in which they were struggling anyway.
"He will be suspended now for their next game and it has all gone wrong for City tonight, it really has, but they are still in a decent position to qualify automatically and I think they will still do it, but this is damaging for confidence."
Your Site News reporter Ben Ransom:
"Man City now know their opponents in the next round of the FA Cup in Salford City, but it's come on a humbling night for them in the Champions League, possibly their most humbling night in the competition.
"They were very much expected to win against Bodo/Glimt despite their problems in terms of team selection, but to lose so comprehensively will really have hurt Pep Guardiola and the players.
"This is a group seemingly short on confidence. Since the turn of the year it has been pretty miserable, certainly in the Premier League.
"They haven't won in four in the league. Three consecutive draws were followed by that pretty abject defeat at Man Utd, which will have really hurt.
"When you consider the performance against Bodo/Glimt and the fact actually 3-1 flattered them, City never really adapted to the plastic pitch.
"What the defeat does do is it adds a jeopardy to this Champions League campaign and it means that from a position of relative strength in that top eight, they may well start next week's final matchday outside the top eight, and perhaps they might need a few favours from elsewhere.
"Given how tough this schedule has been, no-one at City will want an extra two fixtures in the play offs.
"Pep will be left to lick his wounds now. He has problems to solve and that match against Wolves in the Premier League at the weekend becomes must win. They are all must win at this stage when you are chasing down Arsenal, but City need to find some form and quickly."
