UCL: PEP GUARDIOLA ADMITS "EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG" AFTER CITY'S SHOCK DEFEAT IN THE ARCTIC
Manchester City face a Champions League survival battle against Galatasaray after a shock 3-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in Norway.
Pep Guardiola didn’t sugarcoat it—Manchester City have to turn things around, and fast, after that shocking 3-1 loss to Bodo/Glimt in the Arctic Circle.
The city showed up already short-handed, missing a bunch of key players. Then Rodri got sent off, and the Norwegians took full advantage in the Champions League. That loss just piled onto their recent struggles in the league.
Honestly, things haven’t looked great. After four straight Premier League games without a win—including that tough derby defeat at United—City’s title hopes have definitely taken a hit.
Now, if they want to guarantee a spot in the Champions League’s last 16, they’ve got to get a result in their final group match against Galatasaray next week.
Guardiola faced the press afterwards and didn’t hide his frustration. “Since the new year started, it feels like everything’s going against us in so many ways,” he said.
He gave Bodo their due, too. “I know how good Bodo are. I didn’t underestimate them. They made the Europa League semi-finals last season—they’re no pushovers.”
Missing so many regulars, City just didn’t look as solid. “We were without important players who usually bring consistency. There’s a bit of fragility, just like we had during a stretch last season.”
Guardiola did give credit to his players for fighting hard when they went down to 10 men. “A lot of guys stepped up. But we’ve got to change things quickly—with Wolves up next, and then Galatasaray.”
So far this year, City have only managed wins in domestic cups, against Exeter and Newcastle. Eleven senior players missed the trip to Norway. Injuries, illness, suspensions—you name it.
“It felt like everything that could go wrong did,” Guardiola admitted. “That’s just how it is right now, but we have to find a way to fix it.”
When someone suggested his team looked flat, Guardiola shot that down. “I don’t agree. Bodo played really well, and they deserve a lot of credit. That’s all there is to it.”
Honestly, the 3-1 scoreline was a bit generous to City. Bodo stunned them with two quick goals in the first half, and Jens Petter Hauge hammered in a beauty after the break. Rayan Cherki got one back, but then Rodri picked up two bookings in a hurry and got sent off, killing off any hope of a comeback. City were lucky not to concede more—Hogh had a goal ruled out, and Hauge nearly scored again when he hit the post.
Guardiola didn’t blame Rodri, who’s still finding his feet after a tough knee injury last season. “It was a tough spot. We lost the ball; they broke quickly, and sometimes you just react. The second yellow was a bit soft, but that’s football.”
ARSENAL POCKET INSANE £125.18M FOLLOWING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL QUALIFICATION
Mikel Arteta's side has added £15.97m to their cash reserves, eclipsing the total earned by current champions PSG last year.
Arsenal have added another £15.97 million to their UEFA prize money haul after securing a spot in the Champions League final with a win against Atletico Madrid. They are set to face either Bayern Munich or the current champions, Paris Saint-Germain, in Budapest on May 30, aiming for their first-ever triumph in this prestigious competition.
Beyond that, there’s an additional £5.61 million up for grabs in Hungary later this month. But up to now, Arsenal have amassed an eye-watering £125.18 million in Champions League prize money this season alone. A place in next season’s European Super Cup also carries a potential reward of around £3.45 million. It’s been a remarkable European run under Mikel Arteta, with the team dominating the group stage by winning all eight matches.
From the very beginning, the club benefited from the initial distribution of TV revenue and the rankings pool, which together amounted to £49.6 million. Even before the knockout rounds kicked off, Arsenal had already secured £85.3 million in prize money.
That total doesn’t even cover the bonuses linked to their on-field success, as each of their eight victories in the group stage brought in roughly £15.8 million altogether.
By finishing first out of 36 group-phase clubs, Arsenal earned an extra £8.6 million, and progressing straight to the round of 16 as one of the top eight teams secured them another £11.3 million.
They continued their strong run by eliminating Bayer Leverkusen after a 1-1 draw away and a 2-0 win at the Emirates, which added £10.8 million more to their earnings.
Overcoming Sporting CP in the quarter-finals also brought a £10.8 million bonus. While Arsenal’s motivation isn’t just financial, this level of income certainly aids in meeting profit and sustainability rules and other financial fair play criteria.
It’s also likely to support their summer transfer budget, as sporting director Andrea Berta looks to build on Arteta’s squad.
Last season, Arsenal took home £98.63 million after reaching the semi-finals before falling to PSG.
PSG, who went on to win the title, collected about £124.62 million last year, so Arsenal have now already surpassed that figure.
Meanwhile, UEFA has set aside a record £2.13 billion in prize money for the 2025-26 Champions League season, highlighting the competition’s growing financial stakes.
JAN OBLAK CONFESSES ATLETICO WERE "AFRAID TO PLAY" AGAINST ARSENAL
Following their Champions League exit, skipper Jan Oblak analysed where Atletico went wrong and paid tribute to Griezmann.
Jan Oblak didn’t hold back after Atletico Madrid crashed out of the Champions League against Arsenal. He said straight up that the team just didn’t do enough to earn a spot in the final. Sure, he’s proud of how far the squad has come recently, but the way they went out still stings.
Oblak was pretty open about where things went wrong, especially after the first leg, when Atletico failed to take an advantage back to London. “I'm disappointed, just like all the fans. Honestly, I can’t find the words. We didn’t do enough to be in the final, and it’s just a tough moment. We had our chances to win, but we didn’t take them. All that’s left is to congratulate Arsenal.”
He didn’t stop there, either. Speaking to CBS Golazo, Oblak was even more direct about the team’s mentality, especially in the first half of both matches. He felt Atletico were hesitant, too respectful of Arsenal, and afraid to play. Both times, they fell behind before halftime and then tried to play catch-up, but it was always a little too late. “This has happened several times this season,” Oblak said, “and while we’ve managed to win those games before, not today when it mattered most.”
On the flip side, Oblak did give some credit to the young players and the growth the team’s shown, especially after a couple of big summers that saw a huge part of the squad change. “The last two seasons, we’ve switched out something like 15 players. A lot of young guys with not much experience came in. They did great in the cup, and they’ve held up in the Champions League too. In the league, we weren’t good enough for the biggest matches, but I’m proud of how the younger ones are growing. Still, when the goal is to win a title, and you don’t, you can’t call it a success. All we can do is look forward and hope we’ll be fighting for trophies next season.”
Saying goodbye to Antoine Griezmann made this exit even sadder for Oblak and the rest of the squad. Griezmann’s heading to Orlando City this summer, bringing the curtain down on his Champions League career with Atletico. “Everyone’s going to miss Griezi; he’s an incredible player and a great guy. The kind of person who’s always smiling, always positive, and does things on the pitch nobody else can. We’ll miss him a lot; the fans will miss him, but he deserves nothing but the best wherever he goes.”
At 33, Oblak is one of Atletico’s true leaders, right behind Koke for the captain’s armband. Alongside Jose Maria Gimenez and Marcos Llorente, he’s been a
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