It turned into a complete nightmare for Manchester City in the blink of an eye.
Rodri, the man Pep Guardiola trusts more than anyone, the heartbeat of this City team, suddenly lost control of the moment. Just one minute after being shown a yellow card, the City captain flew into another challenge, late and desperate, and the referee had no choice. The second yellow came out. Then the red.
Rodri was sent off.
Shock spread across the pitch. Pep Guardiola put his hands on his head. City players stood still, staring in disbelief. In the freezing Arctic Circle, things had officially gone from bad to disastrous.
This was the worst possible moment for Manchester City. Already trailing. Already struggling. Already being outplayed by a fearless Bodo/Glimt side. And now, their leader, their organiser, their calm presence in midfield was walking off the pitch early.
Rodri tried to argue. He knew what it meant. He knew his mistake had just killed any remaining hope of a comeback. The referee was unmoved. The decision stood.
Down to ten men, City’s fragile structure completely collapsed. The midfield protection was gone. The defence was exposed even more. Every Bodo/Glimt attack now felt like it could end in another goal.
For Pep Guardiola, this red card summed up the night perfectly. Loss of control. Loss of discipline. Loss of belief. A team known for intelligence and patience had cracked under pressure.
In the brutal cold of Norway, Manchester City were not just losing a match. They were losing their grip. And with Rodri gone, the mountain in front of them became impossible to climb.
A humiliating night just got even worse.
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