The yellow smoke has settled on Aspmyra after Bodø/Glimt’s 3-1 win against the giant City in the Champions League. Not only was this the elite league club’s first victory in the Champions League, this was against one of the world’s best coaches, the world’s best goalkeeper – and the world’s best striker. Guardiola lost, Donnarumma had to retrieve three balls from the net, Haaland went goalless by Aspmyra. Back in England, a storm of laughter, criticism and questions awaits the City gang. We give Guardiola a taste.
Here is the state channel BBC’s follow-up to “the phenomenon in the north”, where the journalist has to scroll back to our radio icon who covered another football phenomenon in 1981.
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Here is the BBC’s summary of which club City have actually lost to:
“Radio commentator Bjørge Lillelien’s immortal tirade went into the public memory in 1981 when Norway beat England 2-1 in the World Cup qualifiers. Lillelien said that Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill and then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had seen their boys get a “terrible beating”.
“City’s performance in Bodø can be considered a similar humiliation. The city has a population of around 55,000, much like in southern Croydon or Sale, with just under 8000 of these locals filling Aspmyra Stadium.”
“Just 10 years ago, Bodø/Glimt competed in the second division of Norwegian football. Since then, they have skyrocketed – they have been top champions four times in the last six years and second place the other two times. They made it through qualification this season to reach the main stage of the Champions League for the first time, securing their first win in style against City, who had lifted the trophy just three years ago.”
“It’s a remarkable story that a club that had a turnover of £52 million in its 2024 accounts has beaten mighty Manchester City, who reported a hefty £694 million in their accounts last year. Glimt’s league season ended in November, painfully losing the title by one point to Viking, so they were well rested before facing City who hadn’t played in six weeks since the draw against Borussia Dortmund.”
“Bodø/Glimt had a game plan. They were happy to give up possession of the ball, but when they broke, they broke with pace and speed. There should have been more than three. People will look at this as a farmers league beating a Premier League team, but they have really earned it. Bodø/Glimt have not only beaten Man City, they have also knocked them down. City was hit in Bodø. It has not been a coincidence.”
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We guess the gang in Bodø will find this vivid description from London entertaining.
