Erling Haaland has issued a public apology to Manchester City supporters after the Premier League champions suffered a shock Champions League defeat to Norwegian underdogs Bodo/Glimt, a result the striker described as “embarrassing.”
Returning to his homeland, the 25-year-old endured a frustrating night as City were beaten in one of the biggest upsets of the competition, leaving their hopes of automatic qualification hanging in the balance.
The loss, played in freezing –9°C conditions, capped a miserable week for Pep Guardiola’s side, coming just days after a derby defeat to Manchester United. Guardiola later admitted City’s campaign appeared to be unravelling.
Haaland, whose goal drought has now stretched to one goal—a penalty against Brighton—in his last eight matches, took responsibility for the performance and his failure to score.
“I take full responsibility for not being able to score. I apologise to everyone, every single City supporter that travelled,” Haaland said. “In the end, it’s embarrassing. I don’t know what else to say because I don’t have the answers. What I can say is sorry.”
He acknowledged Bodo/Glimt’s superiority on the night, praising their home form and intensity.
“It was a fully deserved win for them, and it’s not good enough from us. They play incredibly at home,” he said. “We played well until they scored, and then they scored again. Jens Petter Hauge scored the goal of the year. We did our best, but something is missing. The senior players take responsibility.”
Despite the setback, Haaland refused to dwell on his personal struggles, pointing to City’s relentless schedule. “I don’t want to speak about how I feel. I try to do my best and get ready for the next game, which is in four days,” he added.
City must now defeat Galatasaray next Wednesday to keep alive their hopes of finishing in the top eight. Guardiola, however, admitted his squad has been stretched by injuries and inconsistency.
“We arrived in some departments without important players, and we are a little bit fragile,” the City boss said. “The results since 2025 have not been good. Today was an incredible opportunity, but the feeling is that everything is going wrong. It’s going against us in many details.”
Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen hailed his team’s collective effort, singling out Jens Petter Hauge for praise but stressing the importance of unity.
“He’s a fantastic player, and he was really good,” Knutsen said. “But this is football—you need to be good together, and he is part of a good team.”
The Norwegian champions can still reach the Champions League play-offs if they defeat Atletico Madrid in their final group match.
