Pep Guardiola took full responsibility for Manchester City’s unexpected 2-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday night, acknowledging that his decision to rotate heavily was a mistake.
The City manager made ten changes from the Premier League defeat to Newcastle United, choosing to rest several key players, including striker Erling Haaland. Haaland has already scored fourteen league goals this season, while no other City player has managed more than one. The move proved costly, and Guardiola admitted immediately after the match that he had gone too far.
Pep's thoughts on tonight's defeat. 💬 pic.twitter.com/1AcvurfiMa
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 25, 2025
“There were too many changes,” he began in his post-match press conference. “I believe that in a long season, with matches every two days, three days, everybody has to be involved. But maybe it was too much when you see the result. It is the first time in my life I have done it, and it was too much, so I realised.”
Guardiola defended the intention behind the rotation, pointing to the demanding schedule and the physical burden placed on his players. He highlighted Haaland’s role as both City and Norway’s main scorer and explained that the striker cannot realistically play ninety-five minutes every match across domestic and international duties.
“I felt from my instinct, from my gut, that the team was training well and the vibes were good,” he said. “We are in a good position. And for the future, for the next matches, we have Fulham, Sunderland, and Real Madrid, so many matches together. You cannot play Erling all the time. After the international break, it is three days, four days, three days until March. There is no human being who can sustain that.”
Guardiola also suggested that the players who came into the lineup felt the pressure of trying not to make mistakes, which affected their performance.
“I think they played to avoid mistakes, to avoid punishing the team,” he said. “When you are not free and relaxed, you do not play at your best.”
The loss ended Manchester City’s twenty-three-match unbeaten home run in the Champions League league phase and leaves them on ten points after five matches, sitting provisionally sixth in the standings. The top eight teams after the eight-match league phase progress automatically to the round of sixteen.
City now prepare for a massive test against Real Madrid on 10 December. Despite the setback, Guardiola did not sound concerned about his team’s chances of securing a top-eight spot, but he made it clear that the lesson from Tuesday night has been firmly learned.
