Manchester City Faces Setback Against Bayer Leverkusen as Squad Depth Is Tested

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City’s reserve players have recently found themselves sidelined, and after a 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League, it may be some time before head coach Pep Guardiola calls upon them again.

In light of Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle United, Guardiola opted for drastic measures, making 10 changes to the starting lineup. He noted that if Rodri had not been unavailable, he would have made 11 alterations. Consequently, Nico González retained his spot in the team.

This bold strategy did not yield the desired results. With Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Gianluigi Donnarumma watching from the bench, the Bundesliga club capitalized on a lackluster City performance, taking a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Guardiola had seen enough by the 45-minute mark, substituting Rayan Aït-Nouri, Oscar Bobb, and Rico Lewis for regulars Foden, Jérémy Doku, and Nico O’Reilly during the break. Despite further reinforcements in the second half, including Haaland’s introduction, City could not prevent Leverkusen from scoring again, marking their first home defeat in the Champions League group stage or league phase since 2018.

“Too many changes,” Guardiola commented post-match. “Maybe it was too much considering the result. I take absolute responsibility. I prefer to involve everyone, but perhaps it was excessive this time. Sometimes I try to be too accommodating and it didn’t work out, and I must accept that.”

Guardiola’s decision to make such extensive changes raised eyebrows, particularly as a victory against Leverkusen—who recently suffered a heavy 7-2 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain—would have alleviated pressure ahead of their forthcoming clash with Real Madrid. A loss at the Bernabéu next month could necessitate strong performances against Bodo/Glimt and Galatasaray in January for City to secure a top-eight finish.

In retrospect, it may have been wiser for Guardiola to field a stronger team against Leverkusen and reserve the changes for the upcoming match against Leeds United at the Etihad. The squad players who were brought in for the Bundesliga encounter are unlikely to retain their spots as the Premier League resumes this weekend. Aït-Nouri, making only his second start since August, appeared unprepared from the outset.

His side was instrumental in the first goal, as a cross allowed Alejandro Grimaldo to score through the legs of Abdukodir Khusanov, another player with limited recent playtime. Aït-Nouri, signed from Wolves for £31 million this summer, was among the three players substituted at halftime. The situation did not improve, as Patrik Schick soon added a second goal for Leverkusen early in the second half.

Haaland, who came on in the 65th minute, had City’s most promising chance of the night, but saw his shot saved by Mark Flekken, allowing the Germans to secure their first Champions League victory in England since defeating Tottenham in 2016.

In a post-match interview, England defender Jarell Quansah expressed relief at only having to contend with Haaland for a brief period. “They possess world-class quality, and even the players who started tonight are capable of performing at that level. It was always going to be a challenging task when Haaland and Foden came on,” he remarked. “It feels incredible, especially considering the number of senior players we were missing tonight. We needed that character, determination, and grit.”

When asked if Guardiola had underestimated Leverkusen, head coach Kasper Hjulmand replied, “You shouldn’t ask me that. Regardless of who they fielded, it is a quality team.”

The outcome leaves City in sixth place in the league phase table with 10 points from five matches. Guardiola is acutely aware of the potential pitfalls of failing to secure a top-eight finish, having experienced a similar challenge last season. He will want to avoid a repeat performance this time around.

Aston Villa finished in eighth place last season with 16 points, so City’s fate remains firmly within their control. However, Guardiola must select the right team against Leeds in order to prevent three consecutive defeats.

“Now it’s Leeds,” he stated. “We still have three games left in the league phase, and we will see what unfolds. I can’t predict the future. We need to clear our minds and prepare for Leeds.”

After the underwhelming performance from his fringe players against Leverkusen, it is likely that Guardiola will enlist his premier talents at the earliest opportunity.