Pep Guardiola speaks out on controversial team selection in Man City defeat

Pep Guardiola speaks out on controversial team selection in Man City defeat Phil Haigh Published November 25, 2025 10:57pm Updated November 25, 2025 10:58pm Share this article via whatsappShare this article via xCopy the link to this article.Link is copiedShare this article via facebook Comment now Comments Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola excepts he made a mistake (Picture: Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola’s decision to make 10 changes to his Manchester City starting line-up has come in for question after a 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen.

After a Premier League loss to Newcastle at the weekend, Guardiola rung the changes for the European contest at the Etihad.

Nico Gonzalez was the only player to start both matches as the likes of Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ruben Dias made up surely one of the best benches ever.

It did not work out well for Manchester City, though, with Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrick Schick scoring either side of half-time.

Haaland, Foden, Doku and Rayan Cherki were introduced but the Germans kept a clean sheet and picked up a brilliant win.

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Guardiola sounded frustrated that he had to accept his decision was a bad one, but did accept that 10 changes was probably too many.

‘I understand. I understand your question. Absolutely I have to accept it. I have to accept,’ Guardiola told TNT Sports when asked about his team selection.

In a rare turn, Erling Haaland started on the bench (Picture: Getty Images)

‘If we win, it would not be a problem. I accept maybe it’s a lot, but playing every two, three, four days… But maybe it’s too much, you’re right. Seeing the result, maybe it’s too much.’

It was still an extremely expensive team that Guardiola was able to field, with a front three of Savinho, Omar Marmoush and Oscar Bobb, but Guardiola admitted they were lacking something.

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‘It was not the performance we thought,’ he said. ‘Maybe I’ll take full responsibility, still I think the players that started are exceptional players. But we missed something we need at the highest level. It was an incredible opportunity, now we have to fight in the next games.

England international Jarell Quansah impressed for Leverkusen (Picture: Getty Images)

‘They [Leverkusen] were good. In general we also did some very good things, we had chances, half chances; always blocked, always we slipped, always it was something there.

‘We didn’t believe, “OK it’s the moment to attack, we attack” or “OK it’s the moment to defend, we defend”. It’s not being in the position, it’s being present defensively and offensively we have to have the determination, “OK I’m going to make a movement, make some situations that we can do”. Sometimes it happens.’

Defeat is not disastrous for Manchester City, still sitting sixth in the Champions League group stage, although they could be out of the top eight by the end of Wednesday’s action.

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