Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has apologised to supporters after his side suffered a shock Champions League defeat away to Bodo/Glimt.
The Norway international described the performance as “embarrassing” and said that he and several senior players must take responsibility for the result.
The match result Bodo 3-1 Man City came as a shock to many City supporters as Pep Guardiola‘s side poor display saw them fall behind early and struggle to recover. The defeat leaves Pep Guardiola’s team in a difficult position in the Champions League table and increases pressure on the players ahead of their next matches.
Haaland, playing in his home country, failed to score and admitted after the game that his own performance was not good enough.
Speaking honestly in his post-match interview, the striker said the team did not reach the standards expected of Manchester City and that there were no excuses for the loss.
Poor start leaves City with too much to do
Manchester City’s problems began almost as soon as the match kicked off. Bodo/Glimt started with energy and confidence, and City struggled to match their intensity in the early stages.
The home side took the lead through Kasper Hogh, who scored twice in quick succession. His two goals came within two minutes and stunned Guardiola’s team, leaving them chasing the game far earlier than expected.
City tried to respond by keeping possession and pushing forward, but they found it hard to break down a well-organised Bodo/Glimt defence.
Haaland, usually so dangerous in front of goal, was closely marked and had little space to work with.
After the break, City hoped to turn the match around, but their situation got worse. Jens Petter Hauge scored Bodo/Glimt’s third goal just before the hour mark, finishing off another strong attacking move from the Norwegian side.
City did manage to pull one goal back soon after, with Rayan Cherki scoring to give them some hope.
However, any chance of a comeback was quickly damaged when Rodri was sent off. The midfielder received a second yellow card, reducing City to 10 men and making their task even harder.
From that point on, City struggled to create clear chances. They kept the ball but lacked sharpness in attack and could not put Bodo/Glimt under sustained pressure. The home side defended well and saw the game out comfortably.
For Haaland, the match was particularly disappointing. The striker missed a big chance and failed to register a single shot on target during the 90 minutes.
After the final whistle, he did not hide his frustration or disappointment.
Haaland apologises and points to senior players
Speaking to TNT after the match, Haaland made it clear that he believed senior players in the squad needed to do more.
He named himself and three teammates as players who should take responsibility for the poor result.
He said: “I take full responsibility together with Rodri, Gigi [Donnarumma], Tijjani [Reijnders] – us experienced players. I don’t want to blame anyone but we need to take more responsibility, because at the end it’s not good enough.
“We’re Man City, we can’t go around and not win games, it shouldn’t be like this. In the end, it’s well deserved.”
Haaland’s words reflected his disappointment with both the result and the performance. He made it clear that he was not looking to blame younger players or those with less experience.
Instead, he felt that leaders in the team had to set higher standards and ensure the team performed better.
When asked whether the team’s mindset was the main problem, Haaland admitted he did not have clear answers.
- Guardiola lists many crucial positions Marc Guehi can play at Man City
- Man City star rushed to hospital in an ambulance after needing oxygen due to injury
However, he again took personal responsibility for failing to score and for the overall performance.
He said: “I don’t have the answers. I take full responsibility of not being able to score. I just apologise to everyone – every single Man City supporter, every supporter that travelled, because in the end it’s embarrassing.
“Honestly, I don’t know what to say because I don’t have the answers, and what I can say is sorry.”
The striker’s apology underlined how seriously he took the defeat, especially as it came in his home country.
Many City supporters had travelled to Norway to watch the game, and Haaland said he felt he had let them down.
