Champions League Roundup: Historic Man City Collapse At Bodø/Glimt As Arsenal Clinch Direct Qualification At San Siro

‎The Champions League served up one of its most dramatic nights in years on Tuesday, packed with shocks and unexpected twists.

‎Manchester City suffered a historic setback in the Arctic Circle, creating one of the round’s biggest talking points. Meanwhile, Arsenal extended their perfect run with a composed performance at San Siro.

‎Manchester City Falls at Bodø/Glimt in a Historic Upset

‎Manchester City were stunned in one of the Champions League’s biggest upsets, falling 3–1 to Bodø/Glimt, a team based in a small Norwegian fishing town with an 8,000-seat stadium north of the Arctic Circle.

‎Pep Guardiola’s side looked far from their usual dominant selves throughout the match. Despite a squad assembled with more than $500 million in recent signings, City struggled defensively and lacked cohesion from start to finish.

‎City found themselves 3–0 down after Kasper Høgh struck twice and Jens Petter Hauge curled in a superb third. Rayan Cherki pulled one back, but any hopes of a comeback were crushed when Rodri was sent off after collecting two yellow cards in quick succession.

‎City could have conceded even more, with Bodø/Glimt having two goals disallowed and hitting the crossbar.

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‎The defeat joins the most unlikely Champions League results of all time, such as Sheriff Tiraspol beating Real Madrid in 2021 and Rubin Kazan’s victory over Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2009.

‎City drop to seventh and are at risk of sliding even further after Wednesday’s fixtures.

‎PSG Lose Late as Sporting Lisbon Claim a Victory

‎Paris Saint-Germain were left stunned in Lisbon after Sporting secured a dramatic 2–1 win thanks to a 90th-minute strike from Luis Suárez, who had earlier scored the opener.

‎PSG briefly found a lifeline when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia came off the bench to equalize, but their defensive lapses returned at the worst possible moment.

‎The reigning European champions now sit fifth in the standings and, like City, must win in the final round to avoid dropping into the playoff route for the second consecutive season. The pressure is building as they head into the final stretch of the league phase.

‎Real Madrid Smash Monaco as Vinícius Turns Boos into Applause

‎In Madrid, new coach Álvaro Arbeloa oversaw a resounding 6–1 victory against Monaco in his first Champions League match in charge.

‎The atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu was tense early on, with sections of home fans jeering Vinícius Júnior due to his inconsistent form this season.

‎However, the Brazilian answered emphatically with a brilliant solo goal that shifted the crowd from frustration to applause. Kylian Mbappé scored twice against his former club, Franco Mastantuono added another, and Jude Bellingham continued his stunning season with his sixth goal in the competition.

‎The win lifts Madrid to second place.

‎Arsenal Becomes First Team to Secure Direct Qualification with Win at Inter

‎Arsenal extended their perfect Champions League record with a 3–1 win over Inter Milan, becoming the first team to officially secure direct qualification to the round of 16.

‎Gabriel Jesus scored twice to put the Premier League leaders in control, and Viktor Gyökeres came off the bench to seal the victory with a late third goal.

‎Inter briefly made it 1–1 when Petar Sucic finished a sharp move, but the Italians, last season’s beaten finalists, have now lost three consecutive matches in the competition for the first time in their history. Their slide to ninth place highlights how drastically their European campaign has unraveled.

‎Tottenham Eases Pressure on Thomas Frank with Win Over Borussia Dortmund

‎Tottenham manager, Thomas Frank entered the match under intense pressure after weeks of criticism, but Spurs delivered a much-needed 2–0 win over last year’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund.

‎The match swung when Daniel Svensson was sent off for Dortmund in the first half, giving Spurs the advantage they needed.

‎Cristian Romero opened the scoring before Dominic Solanke added a second, helping Tottenham climb to fourth place and giving Frank some breathing room as he works to steady the team.

‎Napoli’s European Future in Doubt After Draw with FC Copenhagen

‎Napoli’s Champions League campaign continues to unravel after a damaging 1–1 draw with 10-man FC Copenhagen.

‎The Danish side had captain Thomas Delaney sent off after a VAR check, yet Napoli failed to take advantage. Scott McTominay put the Italian champions ahead, but Jordan Larsson equalized to leave Napoli frustrated once again.

‎The result drops Napoli to 23rd place, leaving them in serious danger.

‎If they finish 25th or lower, they will not even qualify for the playoff stage.

‎Olympiakos shocks Leverkusen to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

‎Olympiakos produced one of the night’s most impressive performances, beating Bayer Leverkusen 2–0 to revive their playoff hopes.

‎Costinha powered in a header from a second-minute corner to give the hosts an early lead, and goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis produced multiple crucial saves as Leverkusen pushed forward.

‎Mehdi Taremi added a second goal just before halftime, finishing a rapid counterattack that left Leverkusen stunned. The win moves Olympiakos to 22nd, just one point behind Leverkusen.

‎Kairat Almaty and Villarreal Still Winless After Latest Defeats

‎Two clubs remain without a win in the competition. Kairat Almaty were comfortably beaten 4–1 by Club Brugge and stay rooted to the bottom of the 36-team standings.

‎Villarreal suffered more late misery, conceding in the 89th minute to lose 2–1 to Ajax and continue their winless run.