Manchester City’s encounter with Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League underscored a stark disparity. Yet, for City, every match holds deeper implications. Their identity is so intertwined with their dominance that it often overshadows other aspects. The narrative of their past, littered with glory, lingers prominently—especially when Liam Gallagher’s nostalgic tune “Champagne Supernova” echoes questions about change and the passage of time.
In light of their past achievements, City’s unexpected 3-1 defeat at the hands of Bodo/Glimt represents an evident decline. They faltered above the Arctic Circle, allowing their vulnerabilities to surface against a side that hadn’t played a competitive match since December 10. Glimt capitalized quickly; Kasper Hogh netted two goals by the 24th minute, with Jens Petter Hauge sealing City’s fate with a goal in the 58th minute.
Bodo/Glimt has built a reputation for being a challenging competitor. However, City’s injury woes left Pep Guardiola without key players in defense, allowing Glimt to perform far beyond their expected goals tally. With an impressive victory, they secured their first-ever Champions League win, needing nothing less than a win to avoid elimination.
However, the reality that City found themselves in such a precarious position is noteworthy. Their once-reliable offense has been noticeably waning for over a year. During this match, they produced a meager 1.16 expected goals from 16 shots, resulting in just one goal from Rayan Cherki at the 60-minute mark. Their dependency on Erling Haaland is becoming detrimental; the forward managed only 14 touches and has not scored in his last four matches, tallying just one goal in his last eight across various competitions. During this stretch, City has secured merely three victories—evidence of their struggles when Haaland is unable to perform.
Acknowledging these shortcomings, City has made significant investments, around $100 million, in acquiring Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi. These additions aim to enhance their attacking capabilities and strengthen the defense. This reflects a broader transformation underway, with Guardiola admitting a rebuilding season is necessary. The team’s performance has not always aligned with this vision, but Cherki’s presence is noteworthy, hinting he may provide consistent offensive support even when the team struggles.
Despite the acknowledgment of a pressing rebuild, these adjustments have been challenging. Guardiola is still figuring out the dynamics of his revamped squad. For instance, Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner and a pivotal player during City’s previous dominance, has yet to regain form after a lengthy ACL injury. His recent lapses, including picking up two quick yellow cards in the second half, highlight ongoing issues.
Even though City is navigating a rebuilding phase, they managed to showcase flashes of stronger performances, paralleling their earlier losses against Manchester United. The troubling form that prompted aggressive spending has not fully subsided, suggesting that simply acquiring new talent might not solve the deeper-rooted issues plaguing the team. If that is the case, Guardiola has significant challenges ahead to reshape City back into the powerhouse they once were.
