Manchester City suffered a stunning 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in Norway, a result that left manager Pep Guardiola with the feeling that "everything is going wrong" for his side. Coming just days after a disappointing 2-0 derby loss to rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford, the Champions League upset inside the Arctic Circle compounded a challenging period for the Premier League champions, who were notably depleted for the fixture.

The Norwegian hosts took control with Kasper Hogh scoring twice within three minutes midway through the first half. City, struggling to find their rhythm in the freezing conditions and on an artificial pitch, never truly looked like recovering. Jens Petter Hauge further extended Bodo/Glimt's lead to 3-0 with a stunning strike in the second half. Rayan Cherki managed to pull a goal back for City, but any hopes of an improbable comeback were extinguished when Rodri received two quick bookable offences, leading to his sending off in the 62nd minute.

This defeat highlights Manchester City's recent struggles, with their only victories in the past seven games coming in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. Their last four league outings have seen three draws and a defeat, a downturn in form Guardiola traced back to a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on New Year's Day. He cited a series of setbacks, including injuries to key players like Matheus Nunes, who was out with flu, as factors contributing to the team's difficulties, stating, "Everything is a little bit turning against us for many, many things."

Adding to the narrative, Super Eagles striker Victor Boniface, a former Bodo/Glimt player who spent three successful years at the Norwegian club, offered a knowing reaction to the upset. Having won two Eliteserien titles with Glimt in 2020 and 2021, Boniface took to social media to assert, "Bodo Glimt. You can’t beat them in Norway no worry," a sentiment that resonated with the challenging experience faced by Guardiola's men. Despite the manager's denial of underestimating their opponents, acknowledging Glimt's Europa League semi-final appearance and City's missing players, the conditions at the Aspmyra Stadion – temperatures dipping to around -9C – clearly favoured the sharp, aggressive, and fearless home side.

Bodo/Glimt's deserved lead came in the 22nd minute when Ole Didrik Blomberg's cross was headed in by Hogh. Just two minutes later, defensive issues for City were exposed again as young defender Max Alleyne lost control, allowing Blomberg to set up Hogh for his second. Hogh was almost denied a first-half hat-trick by a goal-line block from Gianluigi Donnarumma, while Erling Haaland's difficult run of form continued, marked by a close-range miss before the interval. Hauge's exquisite solo effort early in the second half further solidified Glimt's dominance.

This victory was a landmark occasion for Bodo/Glimt. A decade ago, they were in Norway's second tier. This season marks their inaugural Champions League campaign, and prior to City's visit, they had never secured a win in the competition's main stage. Having previously drawn with Tottenham this season and faced Spurs in last year's Europa League semi-final, they finally broke their streak against English clubs, clinching their first victory in six attempts in unforgettable fashion. For Manchester City, the result leaves them needing a win against Galatasaray in their final group match to secure a top-eight finish in the Champions League table, while Bodo/Glimt's hopes of reaching the play-off round remain alive, proving, as Boniface warned, that Norway can indeed be an unforgiving place for visiting giants.