Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt pulled off one of the biggest shocks in Champions League history by beating Manchester City 3-1 at home in freezing conditions. Kasper Hogh scored twice early in the first half, Jens Petter Hauge added a stunning third, and Rayan Cherki's reply for City came too late after Rodri's red card. The defeat leaves Pep Guardiola's team in seventh place, needing a win against Galatasaray to secure direct knockout qualification.
In the icy confines of Aspmyra Stadion in Bodo, Norway, where temperatures dipped to -9C on an artificial pitch, Bodo/Glimt hosted Manchester City on January 20, 2026, for a crucial Champions League league-phase match. The Norwegian debutants, playing their first campaign in the competition, entered with slim hopes of reaching the playoffs, while City aimed to lock in a top-eight finish after a 2-0 Premier League loss to Manchester United days earlier. City fielded a young side, averaging 24 years old, missing 11 senior players due to injuries, illness, and ineligibility, including key defenders Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol. Inexperienced center-backs Abdukodir Khusanov and Max Alleyne struggled from the start. Bodo/Glimt capitalized on defensive lapses, taking the lead in the 22nd minute when Ole Didrik Blomberg's cross found Kasper Hogh for a header past Gianluigi Donnarumma. Just two minutes later, another Alleyne error allowed Blomberg to set up Hogh for a composed first-time finish, making it 2-0 within 117 seconds. Hogh nearly completed a hat-trick before halftime, but Donnarumma saved on the line. Erling Haaland, returning to his homeland, missed a chance eight yards out, summing up City's blunt attack. In the second half, Jens Petter Hauge sealed the victory in the 58th minute with a curling shot into the top corner after dispossessing Rodri. City pulled one back two minutes later through Rayan Cherki's deflected drive, but momentum shifted when Rodri received two yellow cards in quick succession for fouls on Blomberg, earning his first Champions League red card around the 62nd minute. Bodo/Glimt, who had drawn three of their previous six league-phase games without a win, claimed their first victory in the competition and first ever against an English side. The result lifts them to six points, keeping playoff hopes alive ahead of their final match at Atletico Madrid. For City, now on 13 points in seventh, the loss—described as 'embarrassing' by Haaland—exposes vulnerabilities. 'I don’t have the answers. I take full responsibility... it’s embarrassing,' Haaland told TNT Sports, apologizing to fans. Guardiola echoed the frustration: 'Everything is going wrong, going against us in many details... United were better than us [Saturday]. Today it was momentum that punished us.' Bodo coach Kjetil Knutsen praised his team's effort: 'It’s big for us to beat one of the best in the world... a great day for a small club like Bodø/Glimt.' This upset, reminiscent of past giant-killings like Sheriff Tiraspol over Real Madrid, highlights the unpredictability of the revamped 36-team format.
