Bodo/Glimt – Manchester City

There are matches that mean more than three points. This is one of them. When Bodø/Glimt takes on Manchester City at Aspmyra, it's not just a Champions League match - it's a moment in Norwegian club football history. One of the world's most powerful clubs, led by Pep Guardiola and with Erling Braut Haaland at the helm, comes to a small stadium north of the Arctic Circle. Artificial turf, winter, wind - and a Glimt team that has shown time and time again that they don't bow their necks to big names.

For City, this is a must-win game. Only the top eight advance directly to the knockout stages, and the margins are small. For Glimt, it's about pride, prestige – and showing Europe that the points they've taken against Dortmund, Tottenham and Slavia Prague were no fluke.

Bodø/Glimt – healthy bones and European self-confidence

Bodø/Glimt are down to 32nd place in the league, but the story behind the numbers is far more impressive than the table suggests. Three draws and three losses – but among the points we find, among other things, an away point against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, and strong performances against both Tottenham and Slavia Prague.

The team is not coming into this match rusty either. Glimt has been at a training camp in Spain and has had two matches under their belt:
4–0 against Gröningen and 4–1 against Hungarian DVTK. These are indeed training matches, but they provide rhythm, pace and offensive confidence – and most importantly: goals.

This is a team that is used to playing with high intensity at home at Aspmyra. The artificial turf, the pace and the closeness of the crowd have time and again made life miserable for European opponents. Roma, Celtic, AZ Alkmaar, Besiktas – the list is long. And now comes City.

Manchester City – tired legs and a thinner squad

City come to Bodø in a far more demanding situation than one might think. The injury list is heavy:
Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol, Oscar Bobb and Savinho are out. Bernardo Silva is suspended. Nico González has been out for the last few games. Matheus Nunes is uncertain, and Phil Foden has struggled with a hand injury.

In addition, the match schedule is brutal: Newcastle in midweek, Manchester United this weekend, now Bodø – before new top matches await at home in England and Europe. Pep Guardiola himself has stated that Haaland is tired, and the Norwegian has now gone eight games without a goal. This has never happened before in a City shirt.

City also lost 0-2 to Manchester United at the weekend, and it was a team that seemed both mentally and physically damaged. Nevertheless, the signals are clear: Guardiola is taking this game seriously. City need the points to secure a top eight – and everything suggests they are in a strong position.

The match picture – pace, pressure and edges

Everything is set for a match with a high tempo and a lot of play on the edges.

Glimt are not going to sit back and defend to the death. At home at Aspmyra they are brave, aggressive and direct. They will press, challenge and use width. City, for their part, want the ball – but they have shown several times this season that they struggle when the opponent dares to stand tall and be direct.

With City's injuries in the back, and a Glimt team that comes with fresh legs and enthusiasm, it's hard to imagine a controlled and "calm" affair. This smells like a match with lots of attacks, lots of finishing - and lots of situations around the boxes.

And that's where the corners come in.

Conclusion

This is one of the biggest club matches ever played on Norwegian soil. A historic meeting between Norwegian football and the world's elite – on artificial turf, in the winter cold, in front of a boiling Aspmyra.

City have the quality to win, but come with tired legs, injuries and a tight schedule. Glimt come with rhythm, confidence and a home crowd that knows what is at stake. The game picture points to a high tempo, many attacks and frequent crosses – especially from Glimt, who know they have to be brave to have a chance.

This gives us a game picture that is perfect for the corner market.

Bet suggestions

Champions League 18:45: Bodø/Glimt – Manchester City: Over 9.5 corners (1.80)

Alternative bet:
Bodø/Glimt – Manchester City 18:45: Over 3.5 corners Bodø/Glimt (1.92)

BetBuilder:
Bodø/Glimt – Manchester City 18:45: BTS + Over 8.5 corners + Under 4.5 goals (2.45)