Man City Player Ratings: Guardiola’s Gamble Backfires Against Leverkusen

Manchester City player ratings against Bayer Leverkusen reveal a night to forget for Pep Guardiola and his men, as a heavily rotated City squad suffered a humbling 2-0 defeat in the Champions League. Guardiola’s decision to rest key stars like Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Ruben Dias left City exposed, and Leverkusen took full advantage of the opportunity.

Manchester City Player Ratings vs Bayer Leverkusen

Guardiola’s 100th Champions League game in charge of Manchester City was marked by controversy before kickoff, with the Spanish manager making 10 changes to his starting lineup. The absence of attacking talisman Haaland and creative force Foden was glaring, and the lack of leadership at the back—without Ruben Dias—proved costly.

Goalkeeper & Defence

James Trafford (4/10): Given a rare opportunity, Trafford endured a tough night, conceding both shots he faced. While neither goal was easy to stop, his miscommunication with John Stones nearly led to further trouble.
Abdukodir Khusanov (5/10): Struggled defensively and failed to offer support in attack, allowing Grimaldo too much space for the opener.
John Stones (6/10): One of the few starters who displayed composure, Stones advanced the ball well but was let down by the defensive unit around him.
Nathan Ake (5/10): Rusty after a long layoff, Ake lost Schick for Leverkusen’s second goal.
Rayan Ait-Nouri (4/10): Lacked both defensive awareness and attacking threat, and was substituted at halftime.

Midfield

Tijjani Reijnders (5/10): Couldn’t provide the control City usually expect from Bernardo Silva, missing their best first-half chance by firing straight at the keeper.
Nico Gonzalez (6/10): The only player retained from the previous match, Gonzalez worked hard to stabilize the midfield but was overwhelmed.
Rico Lewis (4/10): A shadow of his former self, Lewis failed to influence the game or provide any danger.

Attack

Savinho (5/10): Erratic in possession, Savinho overhit passes and was caught out of position defensively.
Omar Marmoush (5/10): Struggled to lead the line, finding little success and missing his only opportunity.
Oscar Bobb (4/10): Another who failed to seize his chance, with misplaced passes and predictable movement.

Substitutes & Manager Performance

Nico O’Reilly (5/10): Added physicality but little else.
Jeremy Doku (5/10): Tried to inject pace, but Leverkusen’s defense handled him comfortably.
Phil Foden (5/10): Raised the tempo but couldn’t find a decisive final ball.
Erling Haaland (6/10): Instantly improved City’s presence and had two chances, but failed to convert.
Rayan Cherki (6/10): Brought urgency and tested Flekken with a free-kick.
Pep Guardiola (4/10): Guardiola’s sweeping changes smacked of overconfidence. His reluctance to turn to Haaland and Foden before City were 2-0 down was ultimately punished by a clinical Leverkusen outfit.

Leverkusen Capitalizes on City’s Rotated Squad

Leverkusen, disciplined and opportunistic, took the lead through Alex Grimaldo’s superb strike in the first half. City’s makeshift defense failed to regroup before Patrick Schick doubled Leverkusen’s advantage in the second period, heading home after a lapse in marking from Ake.

Guardiola’s attempts to salvage the match with half-time substitutions and later introductions of Haaland and Cherki provided a brief spark, but the damage was already done. Haaland’s arrivals did create urgency, yet his two efforts—one saved, one blasted over—summed up City’s frustrating night.

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Opinion: Guardiola’s Choices Send Wrong Message

Rotating in the Champions League group stage is common for managers with deep squads, but Pep Guardiola’s wholesale changes sent the wrong message against a dangerous Bayer Leverkusen side. Resting stars like Haaland and Foden signaled a lack of respect for the opposition and the competition itself. City’s defeat is a timely reminder that in Europe’s elite tournament, complacency can be punished severely—no matter how talented the squad.