Guardiola's Gamble Backfires at the Etihad
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has publicly shouldered the blame for his team's surprising 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, admitting that his decision to make ten changes to the starting line-up was likely a step too far. The loss, which took place at the Etihad Stadium on November 25, 2025, came hot on the heels of a Premier League defeat to Newcastle, prompting a drastic squad rotation from the City boss.
A Star-Studded Bench and a Stuttering Start
In a move that raised eyebrows, Guardiola completely reshuffled his pack for the Champions League encounter. Nico Gonzalez was the sole player to retain his starting spot from the weekend's loss. The decision resulted in what was surely one of the most expensive benches in football history, featuring the likes of Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Ruben Dias.
Despite fielding a front three of Savinho, Omar Marmoush, and Oscar Bobb, the reconfigured City side lacked its usual cutting edge. Bayer Leverkusen capitalised, with Alejandro Grimaldo scoring before half-time and Patrick Schick adding a second after the break to seal a brilliant victory for the German visitors. Even the second-half introductions of Haaland, Foden, Doku, and Rayan Cherki could not inspire a comeback.
Guardiola's Frank Post-Match Admission
Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, a frustrated Guardiola did not shy away from accepting responsibility for the tactical misstep. "I understand. I understand your question. Absolutely I have to accept it. I have to accept," he stated when questioned about his team selection.
He elaborated, "If we win, it would not be a problem. I accept maybe it’s a lot, but playing every two, three, four days… But maybe it’s too much, you’re right. Seeing the result, maybe it’s too much."
While defending the quality of the players he started, Guardiola pinpointed a lack of conviction as a key issue. "It was not the performance we thought," he admitted. "Maybe I’ll take full responsibility, still I think the players that started are exceptional players. But we missed something we need at the highest level."
He further analysed the team's lacklustre display, saying, "We didn’t believe, 'OK it’s the moment to attack, we attack' or 'OK it’s the moment to defend, we defend'. It’s not being in the position, it’s being present defensively and offensively we have to have the determination."
Champions League Implications
While the defeat is not a disaster for Manchester City's European campaign, it does complicate their path forward. The team was sitting sixth in the Champions League group stage after this result and faced the possibility of dropping out of the top eight by the end of the match week. The pressure is now on to secure positive results in the remaining group fixtures to ensure progression.
