City lose at home in the Champions League for the first time in 24 games dating back to 2018.
Pep Guardiola’s bold team selection backfired as Manchester City suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Guardiola rested key players, including Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Gianluigi Donnarumma, giving understudies a chance to impress. However, the gamble paid off poorly. Alex Grimaldo gave Leverkusen the lead in the first half, and Patrik Schick doubled the advantage after the break.
This defeat marks the first time City have lost at home in the Champions League prior to the knockout stage since 2018. It also follows Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League loss at Newcastle, leaving City seven points behind league leaders Arsenal.
Despite the setback, their Champions League hopes remain alive, though Guardiola will have noted the limitations of his squad beyond the star players. This match also marked Guardiola’s 100th Champions League appearance as City manager, contrasting sharply with a record that includes 62 wins and the club’s maiden European title in 2023.
Guardiola described himself as “embarrassed and ashamed” after a post-match confrontation with a cameraman at Newcastle, and City’s players shared the sting of the defeat.
Guardiola made 10 changes from his previous line-up, possibly anticipating a hectic December schedule, including a trip to Real Madrid in the Champions League.
City Frailties:
Nathan Ake nearly opened the scoring for City in the fifth minute, but Mark Flekken saved expertly. Despite dominating possession, City conceded a sloppy first goal in the 23rd minute, with Grimaldo finishing a cross from Malik Tillman and Christian Kofane.
Omar Marmoush struggled to fill Haaland’s role, and Tijjani Reijnders missed a key chance before Guardiola brought on Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, and Nico O’Reilly at halftime.
Leverkusen struck again in the 54th minute as Ibrahim Maza’s cross found Schick, who headed home. Haaland’s introduction failed to spark a revival, as he missed clear chances in front of goal.
The defeat exposes vulnerabilities in Guardiola’s squad ahead of a congested schedule in domestic and European competitions.