Guardiola Takes Full Responsibility as Manchester City Suffer Champions League Setback
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shouldered the blame following his team’s 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, admitting he made “too many changes” to the starting lineup. The surprising team selection saw ten players rotated from the weekend’s premier League match against Newcastle United, a gamble that ultimately backfired at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola’s decision to rest key players like Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Gianluigi Donnarumma raised eyebrows before kickoff. However, the manager maintained his belief in utilizing the entire squad throughout a demanding season. “I always believed in long seasons every two days, everyone has to be involved, but maybe it was too much,” he stated.
The altered lineup struggled to find its rythm, falling behind in the 23rd minute when Alejandro Grimaldo capitalized on a swift Leverkusen counter-attack. Despite introducing Foden, Rayan Cherki, and Nico O’Reilly at halftime, City failed to recover, with Patrik Schick extending Leverkusen’s lead eight minutes into the second half.
Guardiola acknowledged that the players who were given an possibility did not fully seize it. “Seeing the result, they played not to make mistakes instead of playing to do what we had to do,” he explained. He further elaborated that the team lacked the necessary aggression and freedom, stating, “When you are thinking to avoid not punishing the team you are not free to be relaxed – with or without the ball.”
The manager accepted full responsibility for the tactical approach. “I take absolutely the responsibility,” he affirmed, while also expressing his desire to provide playing time for all members of the squad. He conceded that his regular starters might have approached the game with greater confidence.”It was the first time in my life I’ve done it and it was too much I realize,” Guardiola added.
When questioned about whether the result indicated concerns regarding the depth of his squad, Guardiola remained noncommittal. He emphasized the importance of every player within the group, stating, “It’s unfeasible to think that they are not good. I need everybody as part of the group.”
leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand offered a contrasting perspective, suggesting that the extensive rotation was a common practice in the congested football calendar. “I don’t think so. it’s a very tight program for all the teams. I think in the Champions league the normal rotation is 5.5 players,” Hjulmand said. He added that regardless of the lineup, Manchester City always possesses a high level of quality.
The match also featured Manchester City loanee Claudio Echeverri, who remained an unused substitute for Leverkusen. Reports suggest the 19-year-old’s limited playing time – just three starts in eight appearances this season – could prompt a recall by City in January. Hjulmand,however,expressed satisfaction with the young player’s growth. “We like Claudio, we are happy to have Claudio,” he said. “We are trying to build a young player with great potential.”
Looking ahead, Manchester City faces a busy schedule including matches against Fulham, Sunderland, and Real Madrid. Guardiola acknowledged the need to manage player workload, stating, “We cannot play all the time, Erling, for 95 minutes.”
– Manchester City has qualified for the Champions League knockout stage 11 times in the past 12 seasons, demonstrating consistent European performance.
Fans can watch Liverpool face PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday at 7:45 PM on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player, with a live blog available on the RTÉ News App and rte.ie/sport.
