Grimaldo and Schick Shock Understrength Manchester City in Bayer Leverkusen Victory

In a surprising turn of events at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s 23-match unbeaten run in the Champions League group stage came to a dramatic halt as Bayer Leverkusen emerged 2-0 victors. The last time City lost a home group match in this competition was back in September 2018, when Lyon inflicted a 2-1 defeat while Pep Guardiola was serving a touchline ban.

Fast forward to this week, and Guardiola’s decision to heavily rotate his squad, making 10 changes from the weekend’s loss to Newcastle United, left the City side looking disjointed and lacking in sharpness. The result leaves City on 10 points in their group, with Real Madrid looming as their next opponent.

Guardiola admitted post-match that his radical changes were a misstep, acknowledging: “It was the first time in my life I’ve done it [10 changes] and it was too much. Seeing the result, they played not to make mistakes instead of doing what we had to do.”

Leverkusen Capitalize on Guardiola’s Experiment

Bayer Leverkusen, under the guidance of manager Kasper Hjulmand, capitalized on City’s defensive vulnerabilities to snatch all three points. While Guardiola’s reshuffled team struggled to find rhythm, Leverkusen exploited the gaps, especially down the wings, where City lacked the usual protection provided by midfield enforcer Rodri.

Despite a few early chances for City, including a powerful shot from Nathan Aké, which Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken brilliantly saved, it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 36th minute. A well-executed counterattack saw the ball swept across to Ibrahim Maza on the right flank, whose cross was perfectly met by captain Alejandro Grimaldo. The Spaniard fired past James Trafford into the right corner, giving Leverkusen the lead.

Guardiola’s side appeared to lack urgency and sharpness in the first half. With Haaland and Foden both absent from the starting lineup, City struggled to create clear-cut opportunities, and their lack of clinical finishing was evident.

Leverkusen Double Their Lead Through Schick

The second half saw Guardiola make immediate changes, introducing Jérémy Doku, Phil Foden, and Nico O’Reilly to add more attacking threat. However, the change had little effect on the match’s outcome. Just ten minutes into the second half, Leverkusen doubled their advantage with another well-executed attack.

From the right side, Maza again had time and space to deliver a dangerous cross, which was met by Patrik Schick. The Czech striker rose above Aké to head the ball past Trafford, extending Leverkusen’s lead to 2-0. The defensive lapses were glaring for City, and it became clear that Guardiola’s gamble on a heavily rotated team was not paying off.

Haaland, who had been warming up on the sidelines, was called into action along with Rayan Cherki on the hour mark. The introduction of the Norwegian striker brought an immediate spark, as Haaland came close to pulling a goal back with a header. However, his effort was off-target, and despite City’s dominance in possession during the final stages, they could not break down Leverkusen’s resilient defense.

Foden also had an opportunity to get on the scoresheet, but his shot was deflected wide, further emphasizing the evening’s frustrations for City. As the match ended, it was clear that while City were the dominant team in terms of possession and shots, Leverkusen’s clinical finishing and defensive solidity had earned them a memorable victory.

Guardiola Reflects on a Missed Opportunity

After the match, Guardiola was candid about his squad’s performance. While he acknowledged the quality of Leverkusen, he also pointed to his side’s shortcomings: “We were not at our best tonight. I think the changes disrupted the flow of the team. The players who were regulars might have given us more confidence.”

City’s defeat highlights the ongoing struggles they’ve faced in recent weeks, particularly in the absence of Rodri, whose ability to control the midfield was sorely missed. Furthermore, with Haaland not starting, the team seemed blunt in attack, a far cry from their usual lethal self when the Norwegian is on the field.

Leverkusen’s win was a well-deserved reward for their discipline and quick counter-attacking play. Hjulmand was proud of his team’s performance, saying: “We are so happy with this win but also the character we showed. We came here with a plan, and we executed it perfectly.”

What’s Next for Both Teams?

Manchester City now turn their focus to the upcoming league match against Leeds United, followed by a crucial Champions League clash with Real Madrid. Guardiola will be hoping his key players are fit and firing to avoid further setbacks in both competitions.

For Bayer Leverkusen, the victory adds another impressive result to their European campaign, and they will now look to build on this momentum as they aim to progress to the knockout stages.