Pep Guardiola, are you able to hear me? Your boys took a hell of a beating.
As victories for Norwegian soccer groups in opposition to English sides go, Bodo/Glimt’s overcome Manchester Metropolis is close to the highest of the checklist.
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On a numbingly chilly Tuesday night within the Arctic Circle, Premier League giants Metropolis have been “battered in Bodo” , struggling a humbling
“They’ve brought on themselves a little bit of an issue by not profitable the sport as a result of they do not wish to go into the play-offs,” former Premier League striker Chris Sutton mentioned on BBC Radio 5 Stay.
“Now if they do not beat Galatasaray, that will occur. That is not the place they wish to be, particularly with the squad as depleted because it has been.
“It is vital they discover a win and begin constructing that confidence. It is an embarrassing evening for them.”
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An embarrassing evening within the Champions League follows a poor run within the Premier League, with Metropolis winless within the high flight in 2026.
Is it only a blip for Guardiola’s aspect or one thing extra regarding?
Man Metropolis ‘pummelled’ by Glimt
Radio commentator Bjorge Lillelien’s went down in folklore in 1981 when Norway surprised England 2-1 in World Cup qualifying.
Lillelien mentioned that Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill after which Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had seen their boys take “a hell of a beating”.
Metropolis’s displaying in Bodo might be counted as the same humiliation.
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Town has a inhabitants of round 55,000, much like south Croydon or Sale, with just below 8,000 of these locals packing the Aspmyra Stadion.
Simply 10 years in the past, Bodo/Glimt have been competing within the second tier of Norwegian soccer. Since then, they’ve soared – turning into top-flight champions 4 occasions previously six years and runners-up on the opposite two events.
They got here via qualifying this season to succeed in the principle stage of the Champions League for the primary time, claiming their first victory in fashion in opposition to Metropolis, who had lifted the trophy simply three years in the past.
It’s a exceptional story {that a} membership who posted revenues of £52m of their 2024 accounts have defeated the mighty Manchester Metropolis, who reported a hefty £694m of their accounts final yr.
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Glimt’s league season resulted in November, agonisingly shedding the title by a degree to Viking, so that they have been nicely rested earlier than going through Metropolis having not performed in six weeks since a draw in opposition to Borussia Dortmund.
“What a efficiency from Bodo/Glimt,” mentioned Sutton. “We questioned whether or not they’d come into the sport, with the break, whether or not they’d be undercooked. It was Manchester Metropolis who froze on the night.
“Bodo/Glimt had a recreation plan. They have been glad to surrender possession, however after they broke, they broke with tempo and velocity. It ought to’ve been greater than three.
“Folks will have a look at this as a farmers league beating a Premier League group, however they’ve totally deserved it.
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“Bodo/Glimt have not simply crushed Man Metropolis, they’ve pummelled them. Metropolis acquired battered in Bodo. It has not been a fluke.”
‘All the pieces goes flawed’
A succession of accidents broken Metropolis’s problem on all fronts final season and there’s a related feeling this time spherical.
Guardiola needed to make the journey to Norway with out eight injured gamers, in addition to new signing Antoine Semenyo, who’s ineligible to play within the group part of the Champions League, and suspended captain Bernardo Silva.
It meant Guardiola needed to discipline Metropolis’s youngest-ever Champions League beginning XI, with 4 gamers aged 21 or below taking part in within the recreation.
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Centre-back Max Alleyne, recalled from Championship aspect Watford to help the harm disaster, stepped as much as the most important stage however struggled on his Champions League debut and was culpable for the primary two targets.
Having ended 2025 with eight straight victories, Metropolis have made a depressing begin to 2026, profitable solely two of their seven video games and struggling back-to-back losses, having endured a dismal defeat by Manchester United on Saturday.
“We have now to come back again,” mentioned Guardiola. “The outcomes since [the end of] 2025 haven’t been good when it comes to the Premier League and immediately.
“Now we’ve to maneuver ahead with Wolves and Galatasaray. Immediately was an unbelievable alternative for us however the feeling is [everything is] going flawed.
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“You need to attempt to change it and the gamers which are there’ll attempt it.”
A significant fear can even be the type of star striker Erling Haaland, who had a visit to overlook to his homeland. He has now gone a month with out scoring from open play with just one penalty to indicate from his previous eight video games.
On Saturday, Guardiola referred to as on Fifa and Uefa to provide gamers a minimal of 72 hours relaxation between video games however the Spaniard determined to discipline Haaland for the complete 90 minutes in opposition to Bodo/Glimt, giving Egypt’s Omar Marmoush – simply again from the Africa Cup of Nations – solely 20 minutes to function.
Midfielder Rodri will now miss subsequent week’s essential recreation in opposition to Galatasaray. His sending off, after receiving two yellow playing cards within the house of 53 seconds, value his aspect the prospect of turning the sport round.
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“We misplaced and because the new yr, [there are] many issues in opposition to [us],” added Guardiola. “However I understand how good a group they’re. We did not underestimate them. They have been within the semi-finals of the Europa League final season, they have been contemporary in thoughts and we arrived in some departments with out vital gamers.
“They have been a bit of bit fragile like some intervals final season. We have now to alter the dynamic rapidly.”