Manchester City suffered a shocking 0-2 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, marking their second successive loss and their first home defeat in the Champions League group or league phase in seven years.
Manager Pep Guardiola made ten changes to his starting lineup, benching key players like Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, a decision Guardiola later took “full responsibility” for, suggesting the sweeping changes were “too much.” The fresh legs failed to deliver, with Leverkusen outplaying City.
Leverkusen scored their opener through Alejandro Grimaldo after a fast break. Despite the introduction of stars like Foden and Haaland in the second half, City could not turn the tide. Patrik Schick sealed the win for Leverkusen with a header nine minutes into the second half. The defeat highlights City’s dependence on their star players and leaves their Champions League hopes needing urgent recovery before their next match against Real Madrid.
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