Guardiola's Gamble: City's Costly Champions League Setback

Pep Guardiola's decision to make 10 changes backfired as Manchester City fell to Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in the Champions League. The loss, marking City's second consecutive defeat, raised questions about leaving out key players like Erling Haaland from the lineup. Guardiola took full responsibility for the defeat.

Pep Guardiola faced scrutiny after Manchester City suffered a 2-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, following 10 changes to the squad. The latest result, marking back-to-back losses, has intensified questions about the tactical decisions made by the manager, particularly omitting key players such as top scorer Erling Haaland.

At halftime, Guardiola admitted his mistake, making three substitutions after Leverkusen took a 1-0 lead. Despite introducing Haaland later, City's fortunes didn't change, resulting in the season's fifth loss across all competitions and raising stakes for the upcoming match against Real Madrid.

Guardiola's rotation strategy, which followed a Premier League defeat to Newcastle, left City looking disjointed. This was the first time Haaland was left out of the starting lineup in major competitions this season, prompting Guardiola to reflect on his managerial choices.

(With inputs from agencies.)