Manchester City’s aura of invincibility took a brutal hit on Wednesday night as Pep Guardiola’s side suffered a stunning 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt in their seventh UEFA Champions League game under the new competition format. What was expected to be a routine European outing instead turned into one of the most embarrassing nights in City’s recent continental history.
Erling Haaland, usually the symbol of City’s dominance, cut a frustrated figure after the final whistle. The Norwegian striker openly accepted blame for the defeat, admitting he “didn’t have the answers” and apologising to the travelling supporters. For a team built to dominate Europe, such words only underline the scale of the collapse.
City were second-best for large spells against a Bodo/Glimt side that played with hunger, intensity, and belief. The Norwegian champions pressed high, exposed City’s defensive lapses, and punished them clinically, something elite sides are supposed to fear from Guardiola’s men, not deliver to them.
Haaland’s struggles in front of goal will inevitably dominate headlines. Against a club from his home country, the striker failed to impose himself, raising uncomfortable questions about City’s over-reliance on their star forward.
