Guardiola Admits: My Changes Harmed My Team and Led to Defeat
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola took responsibility for a shocking 2-0 Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, admitting that his decision to make changes to the starting lineup was a mistake.
Guardiola made ten changes to the lineup that had played earlier in the Premier League, a match City lost 2-1 at Newcastle United, leaving key players like striker Erling Haaland, who has scored 14 league goals this season, on the bench.
The City manager quickly acknowledged that this gamble backfired.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, he said: “I overdid the changes. I made this decision because the season is long. We play every two or three days, and everyone needs to play. But perhaps I overdid the changes, and the result shows that.”
He added: “It’s the first time in my life I’ve done this, and it was too much. I realized that.”
The Spanish coach defended his reasoning, pointing to the packed schedule, which includes domestic and international matches—especially for Haaland, who carries the scoring burden for both City and Norway.
Guardiola continued: “By instinct, I felt the team was in great condition, so I made this decision, especially since the match was at our home stadium.”
He concluded: “Looking ahead, we have Fulham, Sunderland, and Real Madrid—many matches. Haaland cannot play all the time. No one can keep going non-stop for such a long period.”
