Bodø/Glimt vs Manchester City prediction, H2H and probable lineups — January 20, 2026
As part of the seventh round of the UEFA Champions League main stage, Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt will face English powerhouse Manchester City. The match will take place in Bodø on Tuesday, January 20. Kick-off is scheduled for 18:45 Central European Time. My bet for this clash is on goals.
Match preview
The Norwegian league wrapped up back in November, and in a surprise twist, it was Viking—not Bodø/Glimt—who took the title, edging out the Champions League representative by just one point. As a result, Bodø/Glimt approach their clash with the English giants in less than ideal spirits. Since December 10, when Bodø/Glimt drew with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, they haven’t played a single official match, limiting themselves to just two friendlies: a 4-0 demolition of Dutch side Groningen and a 4-1 win over Hungarian club DVTK.
Bodø/Glimt’s chances of advancing from the group in the Champions League are extremely slim: they have just three points, earned in matches against Slavia Prague, Tottenham Hotspur, and Borussia Dortmund. In their debut Champions League campaign, they have yet to win a single match, suffering defeats to Galatasaray (1-3), Monaco (0-1), and Juventus (2-3).
Manchester City, meanwhile, come into the match on the back of a defeat in the Manchester derby, which widened their gap behind Premier League leaders Arsenal and made the title race even tougher. So Pep Guardiola’s squad will also be looking to shake off some disappointment before this Champions League fixture.
In the Champions League, the Citizens are comfortable: they sit fourth in the group, just five points off the leaders. In this campaign, City have lost only once—a 0-2 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen—and drew 2-2 with Monaco. Every other game ended in victory, including their most recent outing, a 2-1 win over Real Madrid.
All eyes will be on Erling Haaland in this match, as he returns to his native Norway and will no doubt be eager to put on a show. Let’s not forget, he previously played for Norwegian clubs Bryne and Molde.
Match facts and head-to-head
- There have been over two goals scored in each of Bodø/Glimt’s last five matches.
- Bodø/Glimt opened the scoring in five of their last six games.
- Five of Manchester City’s last six matches have featured fewer than three goals.
- Manchester City have scored first in eight of their last ten matches.
- These teams have never faced each other before.
Probable lineups
- Bodø/Glimt: Haikin - Sjøvold, Nielsen, Bjørtuft, Bjørkan - Berg, Evjen, Fet - Høgh, Petter Hauge, Didrik Blomberg
- Manchester City: Donnarumma - Lewis, Khusanov, Aké, O'Reilly - Rodri, Reijnders, Mukasa - Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Prediction
I expect this to be a high-scoring affair, as both teams favor attacking football. Bodø/Glimt’s matches rarely see fewer than three goals, and with City’s attacking arsenal, there’s every reason to expect plenty of action. My prediction: over 3 total goals.
