In the latest round of the UEFA Champions League, Premier League giants Manchester City suffered their first defeat of the season, losing 0–2 at home to Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who continue their impressive form.
Squad Rotation Fails to Save City
Facing a demanding run of fixtures, City made as many as 10 changes to their starting lineup. Although Pep Guardiola brought on several key players in the final 30 minutes in an attempt to rescue the game, the team still could not avoid its first Champions League loss of the campaign.
Guardiola’s 100th UCL Match Ends in Disappointment
This match also marked the 100th Champions League appearance in Guardiola’s managerial career, but he was unable to celebrate the milestone with a victory.
After the match, Guardiola stood by his rotation decision despite external criticism, saying, “I actually wanted to rotate 11 players, but we simply don’t have enough available to do that. With such a congested schedule, we need to keep everyone fresh. Every player has to contribute.”
Leverkusen Strike Twice, City Concede in Both Halves
City conceded once in each half. In the 23rd minute, Álex Grimaldo fired a powerful shot from outside the box to give Leverkusen the lead. It was his eighth goal of the season across all competitions, making him the club’s top scorer so far.
In the 54th minute, Patrik Schick rose high in the box and headed home Leverkusen’s second goal, sealing the match. Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken was also outstanding, making nine crucial saves to secure the clean sheet.
Schick credited the team’s defensive discipline as the key to victory: “We fought from the first second until the last. Our defence was extremely tight and our attack efficient — that was exactly our game plan.”
City Drop Out of Top Four, Slip to Sixth Place
This defeat not only handed Manchester City their first UCL loss of the season but also ended their 13-match home winning streak against German opposition in the Champions League.
The last time City lost at home to a Bundesliga side was back in October 2013, a 1–3 defeat to Guardiola’s Bayern Munich. City now sits sixth in the group standings with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, totalling 10 points.
Other UCL Highlights
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund showcased their attacking firepower with a dominant 4–0 home victory over LaLiga side Villarreal.
With this win, Dortmund temporarily climbed into the top four, level on 10 points with Chelsea and Manchester City.
In addition, José Mourinho’s Benfica defeated Dutch giants Ajax 2–0, while Turkish champions Galatasaray suffered a surprising 0–1 home defeat to Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise, marking one of the night’s biggest upsets.
