Manchester City 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen: Grimaldo and Schick strike in shock win for visitors | OneFootball

Manchester City suffered their first defeat of this year’s UEFA Champions League campaign as Bayer Leverkusen took all three points at the Etihad Stadium.

The Manchester side were dominant for large spells of the game, but it was the away side who were clinical with their chances, converting twice from their total of seven shots in the game.

A fast break from the visitors in the 23rd minute saw Christian Kofone tee up Alejandro Grimaldo, who finished off with a sublime strike from the left-wing back to open the scoring.

Despite sustained pressure from the Citizens, Leverkusen grabbed a second of the night nine minutes into the second half, thanks to a brilliant header from Patrick Schick.

As it happened

In Pep Guardiola’s 100th Champions League game as Manchester City boss, the Spaniard rotated heavily from the side that tasted defeat against Newcastle United. Nico González remained the only man to retain his place in a surprising eleven-man named.

The hosts controlled the early exchanges of the game and searched for an opener, with Nathan Aké denied from close range after a stabbed effort was well saved by Mark Flekken.

Man City began to get frustrated with a few passes going astray in the final third when getting into some promising positions, and they would go on to be punished for this.

Bayer Leverkusen had been looking dangerous on the counter-attack and this time they were ruthless as they found the lead against the run of play. A swift move from the German visitors saw Ibrahim Maza in an advanced position on the right-hand side.

Kofane got on the end of Maza’s cross with a delicate first-time layback to the on-rushing Grimaldo, whose fierce strike into the bottom corner left James Trafford with no chance.

Chances were few and far between in the first period for Guardiola’s side despite having the majority of the ball, but Tijani Reijnders had an opportunity late on in the half, driving into the open space after Leverkusen were dispossessed, yet his effort was straight at Flekken, which summed up Man City’s first half.

The hosts made an attacking triple change at the break as they looked to turn things around. However it was the visitors that struck once again to gain an invaluable two-goal advantage against the 2023 Champions League winners.

Maza delivered a beauty of a cross into the box with Schick rising highest to glance the header into the back of the net – stunning Manchester City.

In the 64th minute, Guardiola resulted in playing their most dangerous card in Erling Haaland, as he looked to inspire a Man City comeback. The Norwegian striker was close to grabbing one back just six minutes into being on the pitch, after attempting to round Flekken, but the former Brentford goalkeeper stood strong.

Rayan Cherki looked to half the deficit in the 85th minute from a free kick from a favourable range, with his effort curling towards the top corner, but Flekken was equal to the shot to deny the Frenchman. It was looking more and more likely that it just wasn’t going to be Man City’s night and that was eventually the case.

Despite Man City’s best efforts to stage a comeback, the Bayer Leverkusen backline stood strong and absorbed the pressure to earn themselves a memorable win in the first-ever encounter between the sides.

Manchester City’s next fixture in the competition comes away against Real Madrid, with Man City in need of points if they are to secure an automatic round of 16 spot. As for Bayer Leverkusen, they’ll face English opposition once more in the form of Newcastle United at the BayArena.

The lineups

MCI: Trafford; Khusanov, Stones, Aké, Aït-Nouri; Lewis, González; Bobb, Reijnders, Savinho; Marmoush

B04: Flekken; Quansah, Badé, Belocian; Kofane, Maza, García, Grimaldo; Tillman, Poku; Schick