Leverkusen stun Man City to spoil Guardiola’s centenary milestone

Pep Guardiola’s 100th Champions League match in charge of Manchester City ended in frustration on Tuesday as a heavily rotated side fell to a clinical 2-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen.

The result marked back-to-back losses for the Premier League champions, following their weekend defeat to Newcastle United, and brought an abrupt halt to City’s 13-match winning streak at home against German opposition in European competition.

Despite dominating possession, City were undone by a ruthless Leverkusen side led by Kasper Hjulmand. Goals from captain Alejandro Grimaldo and striker Patrik Schick secured a vital three points for the visitors, lifting them to 13th in the league phase table. Meanwhile, City slipped to sixth, leaving their automatic qualification for the last 16 in the balance with three matches remaining.

Gamble on rotation backfires

With the Premier League title race intensifying, Guardiola opted to make 10 changes to the side that lost at St James’ Park.² It was a gamble that failed to pay off, as the hosts looked disjointed and lacked their usual fluidity.

City began brightly, with Nathan Ake forcing a sharp reflex save from Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken at close range. However, the initial energy faded, and the new-look front three of Omar Marmoush, Oscar Bobb, and Savinho struggled to break down a disciplined German defense.

Leverkusen, content to absorb pressure, struck decisively on the counter-attack in the first half. Christian Kofane clipped a precise ball into the path of Grimaldo, who drilled a crisp, first-time finish past Stefan Ortega to silence the Etihad crowd.

City attempted to respond, with midfielder Tijjani Reijnders driving through the middle, but his effort was comfortably gathered by Flekken, the former Brentford goalkeeper who proved to be a formidable barrier all night.

Schick seals the upset

Any hopes of a second-half resurgence were dashed in the 54th minute. Patrik Schick rose highest to meet an Ibrahim Maza cross, glancing a header into the net to double Leverkusen’s advantage. Remarkably, Leverkusen scored with their only two shots on target in the match, showcasing a level of efficiency City could not match.

Guardiola turned to his bench on the hour mark, introducing star striker Erling Haaland, alongside Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki. Haaland almost made an immediate impact, latching onto a Foden pass, but Flekken was quick off his line to smother the danger. The Norwegian forward later hooked an effort over the bar, epitomizing a night of frustration for the hosts.

Hjulmand steadies the ship

For Leverkusen, the victory represents a significant turnaround in a turbulent season. Following the summer departure of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid and the sale of key stars including Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka, the club endured a difficult start.

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag lasted just two league games before being dismissed, paving the way for Hjulmand. The former Denmark boss has since stabilized the squad, guiding them to third in the Bundesliga and now orchestrating a tactical masterclass in Manchester.

Flekken was undoubtedly the man of the match, making seven saves to preserve a clean sheet against one of Europe’s most potent attacks.

Implications for the table

The defeat complicates Manchester City’s Champions League campaign. Dropping to sixth, they remain in the automatic qualification spots for now, but could fall out of the top eight depending on Wednesday’s results. Finishing outside the top eight would force City into an unwanted two-legged playoff round in February.

Leverkusen’s victory moves them into the playoff positions, breathing new life into their European season.

Match Stats