From Derby Blues to Fresh Beginnings: City’s Road Map After a European Setback
21 January 2026
Recovery Road Map
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola urged the squad to shed pessimism after their 3-1 defeat to Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League. The loss comes on the back of a string of disappointing results in the Premier League, where the team collected just three points from their last four league games.
Guardiola's Post-Match Assessment
With injuries mounting and ongoing fixture concerns, Guardiola stressed the need to change the mood and insisted the players will fight to finish the group stage among the top eight, with one match remaining against Galatasaray at the Etihad Stadium.
After the game, Guardiola told the club’s official site that they must bounce back. Results since the start of 2025 have not been good, but we move forward; we have Wolves next and then Galatasaray. There is a feeling that things are going badly, even in small details, but we must try to change that.
He added that there are no doubts about the competition; nothing is guaranteed. Manchester United beat us, Bodø/Glimt had momentum today, but City were present and created chances, while the opponent was especially strong in attacking transitions.
That defeat marks Bodø/Glimt’s first ever win over an English club. Guardiola stressed that he did not underestimate the quality of the opponent and recalled their run to the Europa League semi-finals last season, while noting injuries and the absence of influential players. We fought with 10 against 11 and must change this dynamic ahead of the Wolves and Galatasaray matches.
He also noted that the performance showed improvement compared with the Derby loss, despite missing key players, saying we were dull against United but not today; we missed Savinho and Doku on the wings.
Guardiola concluded that some players were missing in positions where they could offer more consistency, but Bodø/Glimt were very well organized and we struggled. They were really good, and we congratulate them on that.
Punchline 1: If football were a sniper rifle, City would aim for the goal and hope luck doesn't move the target.
Punchline 2: Guardiola’s notebook is so full that even the calendar needs a map to find a holiday.
