Manchester City suffered a rare Champions League defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, losing 0-2 to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. The result snapped City’s 23-game unbeaten home streak in the competition’s group or league phase, dating back to September 2018.
Marking a forgetful night for Pep Guardiola, who was managing his 100th Champions League match with the club. Following this result, City provisionally sit sixth in the league phase table with 10 points from five games, putting their automatic qualification for the round of 16 in a quandry.
Guardiola made 10 changes to the starting lineup that lost to Newcastle United over the weekend, resting key players like Erling Haaland and Phil Foden. The decision backfired as Leverkusen took on City’s disjointed performance.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 23rd minute through a swift counter-attack, with Alejandro Grimaldo finishing clinically after being set up by Christian Kofane. Despite controlling possession, City struggled to break down Leverkusen's defense, with goalkeeper Mark Flekken producing several crucial saves to keep the hosts at bay.
Leverkusen doubled their advantage early in the second half when Patrik Schick guided a glancing header past James Trafford in the 54th minute. Guardiola responded by introducing Foden, Jeremy Doku, and eventually Haaland in the 65th minute, hoping to salvage the game. However, Flekken continued his heroics, denying Haaland in a one-on-one situation and stopping late efforts from Rayan Cherki.
Post-match, Guardiola admitted that making so many changes might have been a mistake. "It was the first time in my life I’ve done it [10 changes] and it was too much," he said. He noted that the players seemed hesitant, playing not to make mistakes rather than with confidence.
On the other hand, Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand praised his team's character and grit, calling it a "night to remember" as they climbed to 13th in the standings, boosting their hopes of reaching the playoff round.
The defeat compounds a difficult week for City, who have now lost back-to-back games in the Premier League and Europe. With tough fixtures ahead, including a trip to Real Madrid, Guardiola faces mounting pressure to stabilize the team’s form. Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s efficient display showcased their resilience under Hjulmand, securing a vital win despite missing several key players.
