I was at the Etihad last night, and I seen Leverkusen beat City 2-0. It ended City’s long unbeaten run at home in Champions League group stage. The last time they lost was in 2018, when Lyon won with Fekir scoring. Grimaldo hit a powerful shot and Schick headed one in for Leverkusen. Guardiola made ten changes to the team, and it really backfired. He left Haaland and Foden on the bench, which was confusing. Guardiola said it was the first time he done that and it was too much. The team played not to make mistakes instead of playing to win. City has 10 points now, and Real Madrid is next. But Guardiola said now we focus on Leeds first. The team didn’t have cohesion, with many new players. Nathan Aké almost scored, but Flekken saved it. The defense was poor, and Leverkusen took advantage. Guardiola brought on subs at halftime, but it didn’t helped much. Schick scored the second goal, and Haaland looked frustrated on the bench. Haaland came on later and had a chance, but couldn’t score. Leverkusen’s coach Hjulmand said he was happy with the character. This loss makes me question City’s squad depth and consistency.
I felt the crowd get real quiet after that first goal. My friend, he said City looked tired from the start. Why Guardiola thought so many changes was a good idea, I don’t know. We usually are so strong at home, but not this time. The players seemed like they wasn’t communicating well. I seen Leverkusen counter attack fast every time. Their goalkeeper Flekken, he made some great saves. It just wasn’t our night, and that happens sometimes.
When Schick scored the second, I almost left early. The man next to me, he shouted at Guardiola for the substitutions. I think the team needs Rodri in midfield more. Without him, the defense gets exposed too easy. Haaland coming on late, it was too little too late. He had that header, but Flekken saved it. The ref didn’t give a penalty when Poku went down, which I thought was fair. Leverkusen deserved the win, they played with more heart.
Now looking ahead, Leeds game is important for morale. We must win that to get confidence back. Real Madrid will be even harder, especially after this. I hope Guardiola learns from this mistake. The squad depth might not be as good as we thought. Some players need to step up their game. Fans are worried about the season now. But it’s only one loss, so we shouldn’t panic yet.
The atmosphere turned sour real quick after the red card wasn’t there. Actually, there was no red card, but the frustration felt like it. I noticed City’s passing was off, many misplaced balls. Leverkusen pressed high and didn’t let us breathe. Guardiola’s face on the sideline, he looked puzzled. Maybe the rotation was too drastic for such a big match. Young players like Bobb tried hard but lacked experience. It’s a learning curve for them, I suppose.
At halftime, I hoped the subs would change things. Doku and Foden coming on, I thought we’d see a comeback. But Leverkusen scored again soon after. That cross from Maza, it was perfect for Schick. City’s defense just watched it happen. Trafford in goal, he could have done better maybe. The team’s energy dropped after that second goal. We never really threatened to get back into it.
I wonder what this means for the Premier League too. City can’t afford to drop points there. The title race is tight this year. This loss might affect the players’ minds. Guardiola needs to rally the team quickly. The media will criticize him for sure. But he’s a great manager, so I trust he’ll fix it. We have to support the team through this.
After the game, I heard fans discussing the lineup choices. Many thought Haaland should have started from the beginning. The lack of goals lately is concerning. The midfield without Rodri is like a car without engine. Reijnders and Lewis didn’t control the game. Leverkusen’s Poku was everywhere causing trouble. Our defense couldn’t handle his speed. It’s back to the drawing board now.
Finally, I think this loss serves as a wake-up call. City has been dominant for so long, a setback can happen. The key is how we respond next. Leeds at home, we should win that. Then Real Madrid, that will be the real test. I believe in the team to bounce back. The season is long, and there’s time to recover. We need to learn from this and move on.
