Shock in the Champions League: Bodø/Glimt Upsets Manchester City to Shake the Group

Match Recap

Manchester City’s European hopes hang by a thread after an unexpected 3-1 loss at Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday, in the seventh round of the group stage.

The visitors fell behind early as Bodø/Glimt struck twice in quick succession before adding a late third; City pulled one back in the 60th minute, but could not complete the comeback.

According to match reports, Bodø/Glimt’s goals came in the 22nd and 24th minutes, followed by a strike in the 58th minute. City’s goal in the 60th minute was the only reply.

Statistically, the defeat marks a historic moment: City became the first English club to lose to Bodø/Glimt in a major European competition.

Earlier in the campaign, Bodø/Glimt had mixed results against English sides, including a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, a 0-1 loss to Arsenal, a 3-2 loss to Manchester United, and a string of results against Tottenham (3-1, 0-2, and a 2-2 draw). They ultimately beat City 3-1.

Rodri Hernández was sent off after receiving two yellow cards within 53 seconds—the fastest sending-off by a City player in European competition since 2005.

City left the night with 13 points, four points off a semi-automatic knockout spot, while Bodø/Glimt moved to six points and remained in the hunt for the playoff slot.

In the wider context, the Norwegian side’s win adds shake-ups to the group and raises questions about City’s form and rotation in a grueling schedule.

Punchline: City might need a translator for their tactics—tonight the plan read like a weather forecast: partly shocking with a chance of surprise. Punchline 2: If you think City’s season is complicated, wait until you see Bodø/Glimt’s group-stage playlist—spoiler: it’s not all lullaby football.