'Too nice' Pep Guardiola takes full blame for Man City's Champions League loss to Bayer Leverkusen after 'first time in my life' selection gamble

It was a special occasion for one of Europe's greatest coaches as Guardiola featured in the dugout for the 100th Champions League game of his career on Tuesday, with City squaring off against Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen at Etihad Stadium. It was not a happy occasion for Guardiola or City, though, as Leverkusen outplayed his team of second-string players.

Key stars were left out of the starting XI, including Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Ruben Dias. The gamble backfired as City lost 2-0, with Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick scoring for the visitors. 

Speaking to reporters after the match, Guardiola said: "I take full responsibility. Too many changes. I always had the belief it’s a long season and everyone has to be involved but maybe it was too much. It was the first time in my life I’ve done it and it was too much. I take responsibility but I saw them and I like everyone to be involved. When you are a football player and don’t play for five, six, seven games it’s tough but maybe it was too much. Always I like to be too nice and involve everyone because I have the feeling after the international break there are games every three or four days and there is no human being who can sustain that. We were at home, in a good position in the Champions League and I thought ‘let’s try and let’s have weapons on the bench’. It didn’t work and we have to accept it."

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While resting Haaland in a Champions League game certainly was a gamble that backfired for Guardiola, it is also true that City need their other attackers to score more goals. They cannot completely depend on one player for all of their goals across all competitions. 

Guardiola acknowledged this after the Newcastle defeat at the weekend, as he said: "Yes [the chances] were clear, but we have to score more goals. Our players have the ability and quality to do it."

With back-to-back losses against the Magpies and Leverkusen, City's confidence will be extremely low. The defeat against Newcastle also extended their gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to seven points. They next face a struggling Leeds United side on Saturday at home and Guardiola will hope that his team can get back to winning ways and remain in the race for the title with the Gunners.