London: Pep Guardiola marked his 100th Champions League match as Manchester City manager on Tuesday night, but the milestone turned sour as Bayer Leverkusen stunned the Premier League champions with a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Despite Leverkusen’s delayed arrival in England due to travel issues, it was City who appeared unprepared as Guardiola’s decision to make 10 changes to his starting lineup backfired.
Guardiola takes blame for rotation gamble
Reflecting on the defeat, Guardiola accepted responsibility for disrupting the team’s rhythm.
“I have to accept it,” he told TNT Sports. “If we win, it’s not a problem — but maybe it was a lot. I believe everyone needs to be involved over a long season, but maybe tonight it was too much.”
City looked disjointed, cautious and lacking urgency. Guardiola admitted his players appeared to be playing “not to make mistakes” rather than taking control of the match.
“It wasn’t the performance we expected,” he added. “We missed something, missed an incredible opportunity, and now we have to fight in the next games.”
Leverkusen stunned by City’s weakened XI
Leverkusen boss Kasper Hjulmand acknowledged City’s heavy rotation, noting that Champions League teams typically change “five or six players” — not ten. Behind the scenes, even Leverkusen staff admitted they were “shocked” after seeing the Manchester City lineup.
With key players like Edmond Tapsoba, Lucas Vázquez, and Argentine pair Exequiel Palacios and Equi Fernández missing, Leverkusen arrived expecting a difficult night — especially with six under-19 players on their bench. Yet Guardiola’s changes shifted the momentum.
Stars on the bench cannot rescue City
Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki all started on the bench and were introduced too late to affect the result. City’s attack misfired, with Omar Marmoush failing to capitalise on his opportunity, while Savinho and Oscar Bobb struggled to make an impact.
Guardiola suggested that sticking with his regular starters might have given the team more confidence.
“When you’re in a big team, you have to show off,” he said. “Every shot was blocked, players slipped, and we lacked belief.”
City face pressure ahead of Real Madrid showdown
The defeat leaves City under pressure as they travel to face European giants Real Madrid on 10 December, a fixture suddenly carrying greater importance in the league-phase standings.
Former City midfielder Michael Brown questioned Guardiola’s decision-making on BBC Radio 5 Live:
“People will ask why he didn’t play a stronger team. Win the game first, then rotate. Those changes gave Leverkusen a huge lift.”
A historic night for Leverkusen
Leverkusen captain Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring with a thunderous strike, and Patrik Schick sealed the win with a towering header in the second half.
The travelling fans celebrated wildly, singing and dancing long after the final whistle.
“This is a night to remember,” said Hjulmand. “We showed courage, calmness, and character. To take three points here is something you can’t expect.”
Former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah praised his teammates’ resilience:
“With so many senior players missing, everyone stepped up. We showed determination and grit.”
