Guardiola's Bold Tactical Gamble Backfires Spectacularly as Man City Crumble Against Bayer Leverkusen

Manchester City endured a disappointing 2–0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen at the Etihad Stadium, marking their first pointless Champions League outing this campaign.

Pep Guardiola made 10 alterations from the squad that fell 2–1 to Newcastle United over the weekend and faced the consequences. The Citizens failed to find the net for just the third occasion in 2025–26 and appeared highly susceptible to swift counter-attacks.

Strikes from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick secured Bayer Leverkusen's triumph at the Etihad, where Manchester City fans began departing before the match concluded.

The Premier League club currently occupies sixth position in the league phase table, though they're expected to drop further following Wednesday's fixtures.

Man City Player Ratings vs. Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: James Trafford—5.3: Registered no saves and allowed both shots on target to find the net. The statistics tell the complete story.

RB: Abdukodir Khusanov—7.0: Found himself on the turf when Grimaldo scored Bayer Leverkusen's opening goal. Khusanov recovered well, though he remains below the standard required for Champions League success.

CB: John Stones—6.9: Couldn't provide the guidance his defensive line required against possibly their most challenging European adversary this season.

CB: Nathan Aké—7.1: Was outmuscled by Schick aerially, leading to Man City's second conceded goal. Apart from that incident, Aké delivered a commendable defensive display.

LB: Rayan Aït-Nouri—6.4: Was completely exposed during the counter-attack that resulted in Bayer Leverkusen's first goal. Aït-Nouri was outpaced when it counted most.

DM: Rico Lewis—6.5: Maintained perfect passing accuracy throughout the evening. However, Lewis lacked physical presence in midfield and contributed minimally before his half-time substitution.

DM: Nico González—7.0: Stood out among Man City's underwhelming starters. The Spanish midfielder generated the most opportunities in the contest and executed several vital tackles and interceptions to keep his team competitive.

RW: Oscar Bobb—7.0: Fashioned two scoring chances in the opening period, but remained too predictable with possession and overly dependent on his dribbling skills.

CM: Tijjani Reijnders—6.9: Barely noticeable throughout. Apart from one attempt on goal, Reijnders lacked the creativity and impact Man City desperately needed on Tuesday evening.

LW: Savinho—6.4: Delivered a subpar performance when Man City required a creative spark. Savinho's evening was epitomized in the 87th minute when he squandered a clear counter-attacking opportunity, prompting audible frustration from supporters.

ST: Omar Marmoush—5.8: Struggled to influence proceedings. Marmoush managed only seven passes, 18 touches, and zero attempts during his 65-minute appearance.

Subs not used: Gianluigi Donnarumma (GK), Marcus Bettinelli (GK), Joško Gvardiol, Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva

Bayer Leverkusen (3-1-4-2)

Starting XI: Mark Flekken; Jarell Quansah, Loïc Badé, Jeanuël Belocian; Aleix García; Ernet Poku, Ibrahim Maza, Malik Tillman, Alejandro Grimaldo; Christian Kofane, Patrik Schick

Subs used: Nathan Tella

Man City Player of the Match: Nathan Aké

Player of the Match: Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen)

Man City 0–2 Bayer Leverkusen—How It Unfolded at the Etihad

Guardiola fielded a heavily rotated starting eleven from Man City's weekend loss at St. James' Park, placing faith in his squad players to overcome Bayer Leverkusen. With Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Phil Foden watching from the bench, the Citizens began brightly at the Etihad.

Nathan Aké came close to opening the scoring for the home side within five minutes, unleashing a threatening effort from short range that Mark Flekken reacted swiftly to parry over the bar.

Man City maintained their early momentum against their German visitors, forcing Bayer Leverkusen deep into their own territory. The English champions persistently tested the opposition's defensive structure but, as has been a recurring theme this season, lacked the clinical finishing required to break the deadlock.

Kasper Hjulmand's side absorbed the initial pressure and struck effectively on the break. Malik Tillman seized possession and surged forward before locating Ibrahim Maza advancing down the right wing. Maza delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Christian Kofane set up Grimaldo perfectly.

The skipper unleashed a devastating first-time left-footed strike into the net to establish a 1–0 advantage in the 23rd minute. This goal represented the first occasion Man City had fallen behind in the Champions League this campaign.

The English side's efforts throughout the remaining first-half period proved insufficient to secure an equalizer, prompting Guardiola to introduce three fresh players at the interval. However, Bayer Leverkusen extended their lead in the 54th minute.

Maza delivered a perfectly weighted cross directly onto Schick's head, who outjumped Nathan Aké to guide a precise header into the bottom corner. Trailing 2–0 at home, Guardiola introduced Haaland and Rayan Cherki to inject energy into his team.

Man City immediately appeared more threatening with both players on the field, particularly when combining with Jérémy Doku. The trio created numerous opportunities for Flekken as time expired at the Etihad, but even a free-kick aimed for the top corner from Cherki couldn't help the hosts find the scoresheet.

Guardiola's extensive rotation on Tuesday evening created a deficit that even his star players couldn't overcome in the second period.

Man City vs. Bayer Leverkusen Half-Time Stats

Man City vs. Bayer Leverkusen Full Time Stats