Antoine Semenyo’s journey at Manchester City has started like a dream, fast, loud, and full of promise. In just a few games, the Ghanaian forward has already shown the Etihad crowd that he did not come to sit on the bench or hide behind big names. He came to fight, to score goals, and to prove that his move from Bournemouth was not a gamble but a statement. But just as City fans were getting ready to see him light up Europe on a cold Champions League night, reality stepped in and slammed the door shut.
On January 20, 2026, Manchester City travelled to Norway to face Bodo/Glimt in a crucial UEFA Champions League match. It was meant to be another big European night, another test of City’s depth, character, and ambition after their painful Manchester derby defeat to United. But one name was missing from the squad list, and it was impossible to ignore. Antoine Semenyo was not there.
For many fans, especially Ghanaians who had been proudly watching one of their own rise at one of the biggest clubs in the world, the absence was confusing. Semenyo had been sharp, direct, fearless. He had scored twice in his first three games in a Manchester City shirt. He looked hungry. He looked ready. So why was he not involved?
The answer had nothing to do with form, fitness, or Pep Guardiola losing faith. It was football paperwork, cold UEFA rules, and timing that stopped Semenyo from stepping onto the Champions League stage.
Semenyo joined Manchester City in January for a huge £62.5 million fee from AFC Bournemouth. It was a move that shocked many, excited others, and confirmed how far the Ghanaian had come. From struggling to find consistency earlier in his career to becoming one of the most explosive forwards in the Premier League, his rise had been fast and well-earned. City moved quickly, Pep Guardiola approved the deal, and the player wasted no time making an impact.
But the Champions League does not care about momentum or good stories. UEFA operates by strict registration deadlines. By the time Manchester City completed Semenyo’s transfer, the deadline for submitting squads for the league phase of the competition had already passed. That single detail changed everything.
Because of that, no matter how well Semenyo trained, no matter how sharp he looked in matches, and no matter how much Guardiola might have wanted to use him, the rules were clear. He could not play.
UEFA regulations state that clubs cannot add new players to their Champions League squad during the league phase once the deadline has closed. Only after the league phase ends, and before the knockout rounds begin, can teams register up to three new players. Until then, players like Semenyo must wait and watch.
It was a cruel pause in what had been a beautiful beginning.
For Semenyo, the frustration was quiet but heavy. A player who thrives on energy, movement, and big moments was forced to sit out one of the biggest competitions in world football. Champions League nights are why players dream. They are why transfers are made. They are why careers are remembered. And yet, for now, Semenyo could only observe from a distance.
Manchester City, meanwhile, arrived in Norway under pressure. Their loss to Manchester United had left wounds. The title race in the Premier League was tightening, with Arsenal pulling away and rivals watching closely. In Europe, the margin for error was slim. City were still chasing a top-eight finish in the Champions League table, a position that would allow them to skip the playoff round and move directly into the knockout stage. Every point mattered. Every match mattered. But Guardiola’s problems went far beyond Semenyo’s absence.
City’s squad was stretched thin by injuries and fatigue. Key defenders like Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, and Ruben Dias were unavailable. Bernardo Silva, the heartbeat of City’s midfield in big matches, was also sidelined. Oscar Bobb, one of the season’s bright young sparks, was missing. Mateo Kovacic was out. Savinho was unavailable. Matheus Nunes was unavailable too. It felt like half the squad was watching from the treatment room.
Phil Foden, still struggling with fitness issues, faced a late assessment. Even his involvement was uncertain. Pep Guardiola arrived in Norway with more questions than answers, forced to improvise once again. And yet, this is Manchester City. A club built on depth, quality, and belief. Even with injuries, even without Semenyo, City knew they had to deliver.
The stakes were clear. A win against Bodo/Glimt would put City in a strong position ahead of their final league phase game against Galatasaray. Lose, and the pressure would increase dramatically. Liverpool were close behind in the table. Barcelona were lurking. One slip could change everything.
City took some confidence from their away record in the competition. They had not lost on the road in the Champions League this season, recording two wins and a draw. But Norway in January is not an easy place to play. The cold bites. The crowd is hostile. The pitch can be unpredictable. Bodo/Glimt are known for turning their home ground into a nightmare for visiting giants. And without Antoine Semenyo’s direct running, strength, and unpredictability, City were missing a weapon that could have made a difference.
For Ghanaian fans, the disappointment was deep but mixed with pride. Seeing Semenyo wear Manchester City colours, seeing him score, seeing his confidence grow, was already a victory. Missing one Champions League match did not change the bigger picture. If anything, it made the story more dramatic. This was not rejection. This was delay.
Pep Guardiola himself understands this kind of situation. He has seen many players arrive mid-season and wait for their moment. The Champions League is a marathon, not a sprint. Semenyo’s time will come, likely in the knockout rounds, when City can register him officially and unleash him against Europe’s best. Until then, patience is the lesson.
Back in England, Semenyo’s focus remains domestic. He is expected to return to the starting eleven when Manchester City host Wolves in the Premier League on January 24. That match represents another chance to build rhythm, confidence, and chemistry with teammates.
Every goal he scores, every defender he troubles, strengthens his case. And when the Champions League window opens for him, he will be ready.
The excitement around Semenyo has not been limited to the pitch. In Ghana, his move to Manchester City sparked celebration, debate, and even prophecy. A viral video surfaced in which Prophet Clement Testimony boldly declared that Semenyo would “do exploits” at the Etihad. To some, it was just words. To others, it felt like destiny being spoken aloud. Football often lives between belief and reality. Right now, Semenyo stands at that exact point.
He has already shown enough to convince City fans that he belongs. His strength, pace, and hunger fit Guardiola’s system more naturally than many expected. He presses, he runs channels, he attacks space with purpose. He does not hide.
The Champions League absence hurts, but it does not define him.
For Manchester City, the bigger mission continues. Injuries will heal. Registrations will open. The season will move forward. Pep Guardiola knows that success is built over time, not rushed moments.
And when Antoine Semenyo finally steps onto the Champions League pitch in a City shirt, the wait will only make the moment sweeter.
For now, the story pauses, not ends. The spark has been lit. Europe will see it soon enough.
