Manchester City’s midwinter slump continued with a 3-1 defeat at Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League. The loss follows a 2-0 reverse at Manchester United, leaving Pep Guardiola’s side without a league win in 2026. Key players are struggling for form, with Rodri, Erling Haaland, and Phil Foden all failing to replicate their earlier-season performances.
Rodri, making only his third start since returning from a serious knee injury, looked off the pace. The Spaniard was sent off after two quick yellow cards and was beaten easily for Bodo’s third goal. Haaland, meanwhile, has scored only one non-penalty goal in his last eight games. After the defeat, he said: “I don’t have the answers. I take full responsibility for not being able to score the goals I should do.” He and the other captaincy group agreed to reimburse the 374 travelling fans their ticket costs, a total of £9,357.
Guardiola cited a lengthy injury list – 11 players were absent – and other issues: “Many things are against us. We missed chances, then came injuries, Matheus Nunes has flu.” However, the manner of the defeats has concerned him, with the team looking tame and unable to respond. Foden, another of City’s key performers, has not scored for five weeks and was substituted early in both recent losses.
City’s hopes rest on their big players rediscovering their best form quickly if they are to compete for the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup. Guardiola must find solutions, but on the pitch, the likes of Foden, Rodri, and Haaland need to take the lead to prevent a promising season from unravelling.
