Pep Guardiola accepted the blame for Manchester City's unexpected home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at the Etihad. The decision to field a weakened team backfired spectacularly as Leverkusen sailed to a 2-0 victory in Manchester. This result has cast a shadow over City's upcoming match against Real Madrid in two weeks' time. A win would have brought City closer to automatic qualification for the last 16, but having slipped to sixth in the Champions League table, the 2023 winners are no longer assured of a smooth journey into the next stage.
Guardiola's underperforming squad even exited the pitch to a smattering of boos from their own fans. The Spanish manager conceded that the disappointing result was his doing. He confessed: "It was not the performance that we thought. I take full responsibility. We missed something. We missed an incredible opportunity - and now we need to fight in the next games. I still think the players that started were exceptional players, but we missed something needed at the highest level. I have to accept it. If we win it wouldn't be a problem, so I have to accept it that maybe it's a lot. I made too many changes."
On a night of humiliation for Guardiola, City suffered their first Champions League group stage home defeat since 2018. Having made the unusual decision to field a second-string side, he was rewarded with a subpar performance.
Goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick in each half were more than enough to hand Leverkusen a surprising, yet deserved, victory to ruin Guardiola's 100th Champions League game as City boss.
City began brightly and controlled possession, but lacked a cutting edge. Leverkusen then stunned them with a counter-attacking opener, as Grimaldo fired a shot across James Trafford into the far corner following Christian Kofane's clever assist.
Guardiola threw on his star players, including Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku. However, matters deteriorated further when Leverkusen extended their advantage through Schick after the interval.
Desperate situations require drastic action, yet even introducing Erling Haaland proved futile. The striker was denied by the outstanding Mark Flecken in a one-on-one situation, before blazing a volley high over the crossbar.
The Norwegian faced the possibility of enduring two matches without finding the net for the first time this campaign. Guardiola remained motionless on the touchline with his hands buried deep in his pockets, appearing increasingly bewildered.
This reaction was entirely comprehensible. When a goalscorer of Haaland's calibre cannot provide salvation, nobody else will suffice.
Leverkusen manager Kasper Hjulmand confessed that this ranked among his finest achievements in management, while heaping praise upon his squad.
He said: "Taking three points from City here in Manchester is not something you really expect. They are one of the best teams in Europe. So I am really proud of the players. It's a night to remember."