Pep Guardiola delivered one of his most critical assessments of the season after watching a heavily rotated Manchester City side fall 2–0 to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
Guardiola made 10 changes for the midweek clash at the Etihad, but the players brought in failed to impress. The City boss accused them of playing too cautiously and lacking the bravery required at this level.
“They didn’t try” – Guardiola
Speaking after the match, Guardiola said the defeat wasn’t about squad quality, but mentality.
> “They played to avoid mistakes — not to make something happen. In football you have to try. Losing is part of the game, but not trying is the worst thing.”
He added that while results like this can happen, the performance was unacceptable.
Bernardo Silva Questions Squad Rotation
Even senior players appeared surprised by the scale of rotation, with Bernardo Silva publicly questioning the decision to make so many changes for such an important fixture.
Guardiola, however, defended his selection, saying rotation is unavoidable due to the schedule — though he admitted the match was a “lesson” for him.
Guardiola: “Maybe I’m too nice”
Sky Sports’ Ben Ransom reported a rare light-hearted moment in Guardiola’s press conference. When asked whether he would now be “less nice” after giving fringe players a chance, Guardiola joked that he would remain the “beautiful person” his parents raised.
But make no mistake: the manager is laser-focused on correcting City’s form. After back-to-back defeats to Newcastle and Leverkusen, he is expected to restore his strongest XI for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Leeds.
Rodri Still Out for Leeds Clash
Guardiola confirmed that key midfielder Rodri remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, extending an absence that began in October.
Despite falling seven points behind league leaders Arsenal, Guardiola refused to engage in title-race talk:
> “The distance is there, yes. Arsenal are very strong. But I focus on the next game — Leeds — and then we’ll see.”
City Look to Reset Against Leeds
The priority now is simple: avoid losing further ground in the Premier League. With Leeds visiting the Etihad on Saturday at 3pm, City are under pressure to respond quickly and convincingly.
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