MANCHESTER City suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday as the Norwegian minnows caused one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history.
Pep Guardiola’s side were blown away by Kasper Hogh’s first half brace and a second half strike from Jens Petter Hauge at the ecstatic Aspmyra Stadion.Rayan Cherki got one back moments after Hauge’s goal, but Rodri’s dismissal for two bookings left City in tatters as Bodo/Glimt celebrated their first ever win in the Champions League group phase.
In a fishing town situated 200km north of the Arctic Circle, the 2023 European champions were caught cold in freezing temperatures of minus two degrees.
Bodo’s entire population of only 55,000 people could almost fit into City’s Etihad Stadium.
But Kjetil Knutsen’s underdogs ignored the huge financial and talent gap between the clubs to inflict a chastening defeat on the Premier League giants.
Bodo/Glimt, who hadn’t played since December after the end of the Norwegian season, reached the Europa League semi-finals last term, an impressive run that maintained their remarkable rise over the last decade.
They travelled to Norway earlier than Guardiola’s usual schedule to ensure his players were able to practise on Bodo/Glimt’s artificial pitch.
Yet they were totally out of sync in the latest disjointed display in an increasingly troubled season.
City are without a win in their last four Premier League matches, with Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United leaving them seven points behind leaders Arsenal.
Guardiola will be alarmed by City’s second successive tame surrender, which exposed the Spainard’s claim that his players had rediscovered their hunger after finishing without a trophy last season.
The City boss had said he planned to enjoy the Northern Lights from his hotel before the match, but that will be his only fond memory from one of the most embarrassing losses of his glittering career.
City’s final group phase fixture is at home to Galatasaray on January 28 as they try to seal an automatic place in the last 16 via a top-eight finish.
It was a shambolic goal to concede, underlining the defensive issues that convinced Guardiola to sign England centre-back Marc Guehi.
Max Alleyne, who was playing on loan at second tier Watford earlier this season, showed his lack of experience, failing to deal with a high ball over the top.
Ole Didrik Blomberg pounced on the blunder, lofting a cross to the far post, where Hogh was left unmarked to guide his header through the legs of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, City paid the price for another Alleyne mistake just two minutes later.
With City’s defence out of position after Alleyne was caught out by a high bounce, Blomberg’s cross picked out Hogh, who was left completely unmarked to slot a cool finish past Donnarumma.
City striker Erling Haaland once again laboured for long periods and has now scored just once in eight games in all competitions after wasting two good chances late in the first half.
There was no improvement from City after the break and Bodo/Glimt delivered the knockout blow in the 58th minute.
Rodri lost possession and Hauge curled a brilliant finish into the top corner from long-range.
Cherki netted two minutes later with a clinical finish from the edge of the area.
But City’s misery was compounded in the 62nd minute when Rodri was dismissed for fouls on Evjen and Blomberg in the space of just 54 seconds.