Bodø/Glimt vs. Manchester City

The Champions League league phase reaches its penultimate stage today, Tuesday, January 20, 2026, as Manchester City travels to the Arctic Circle to face Bodø/Glimt. Kick-off is set for 17:45 GMT (12:45 ET) at the Aspmyra Stadion in Norway.

This match is a study in contrasts: Manchester City, currently 4th in the Champions League standings, looks to secure a top-eight finish and direct entry into the Round of 16. Conversely, Bodø/Glimt sits in 32nd place, winless in the competition and fighting for survival.

Match Information

Manchester City: A Test of Resilience

Manchester City arrives in Norway looking to shake off a humbling 2–0 defeat in the Manchester derby on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side is currently grappling with a severe injury crisis that has left them with up to 11 first-team players unavailable. With a congested domestic schedule, Guardiola must balance the need for a win with the risk of further injuries on Bodø’s artificial turf.

Team News and Selection:

• Defensive Crisis: The backline is severely depleted with Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol all ruled out. New signing Marc Guéhi is ineligible for this stage, as is fellow January arrival Antoine Semenyo.

• Hand Injury: Phil Foden broke a bone in his hand during the derby but has traveled with protective strapping and is available for selection.

• Suspension: Bernardo Silva is out following a yellow card accumulation.

• Returns: Omar Marmoush is back from AFCON and could challenge for a spot, though Erling Haaland is expected to start on his emotional return to his home country.

• Predicted XI (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Lewis, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ait-Nouri; Rodri; Doku, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki; Haaland.

Bodø/Glimt: The Arctic Underdog

The Norwegian champions are in their off-season, having finished second in the 2025 Eliteserien. Despite the lack of competitive match sharpness, the "Superlaget" has historically been dangerous at home, notably drawing with Tottenham earlier in this campaign. They will rely on the sub-zero temperatures and home support to bridge the gap against the English giants.

Team News and Selection:

• Absences: Defender Haitam Aleesami is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

• Key Player: Jens Petter Hauge is the primary threat for the hosts; he has already scored twice against English opposition in this season's Champions League.

• Predicted XI (4-3-3): Haikin; Sjøvold, Bjørtuft, Nielsen, Bjørkan; Evjen, Berg, Fet; Blomberg, Høgh, Hauge.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• First Meeting: This is the first-ever competitive meeting between these two clubs and Manchester City's first match against Norwegian opposition.

• Home Fortress: While winless in the league phase, Bodø/Glimt has lost only three of their last 20 European home matches.

• City's Road Record: Pep Guardiola is one win away from becoming only the third manager in UCL history to record 25 away wins with a single club.

• Haaland's Return: Erling Haaland has scored only once in his last seven games—a rare "slump" for the forward who returns to Norway today.

Tactical Analysis and Prediction

Bodø/Glimt will likely look to utilize a high press and exploit City's makeshift central defense, which is expected to feature academy prospect Max Alleyne and Abdukodir Khusanov. However, the individual quality of Rodri and the creative spark of Rayan Cherki should allow City to maintain control of the midfield.

While the conditions and injuries favor a closer match than usual, City's desperation to bounce back from the derby defeat should see them through.

Final Score Prediction: Bodø/Glimt 0–2 Manchester City