Bernardo Silva questions Pep Guardiola’s thinking behind Bayer Leverkusen selection | OneFootball

Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva has admitted Pep Guardiola got his selection wrong in a 2-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday evening.

City were a shadow of their recent, brilliant selves in midweek as goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick either side of half-time condemned the Blues to their first defeat of their 2025-26 European campaign.

Guardiola raised huge eyebrows ahead of kick-off at the Etihad Stadium as he made 10 changes to the Manchester City starting XI from a 2-1 defeat away at Newcastle at the weekend, with Nico Gonzalez the only common name in both teamsheets.

The defeat was City’s second on the trot since the November international break and after turning a corner with an impressive run of 11 wins in 14 games in all competitions since September, Guardiola and co have hit back-to-back setbacks ahead of a testing schedule of games in December.

A difficult trip to the Santiago Bernabeu – where Manchester City lost 3-0 in February – awaits the Blues next in the UEFA Champions League, having slipped to ninth place of the group-phase standings courtesy of their midweek loss to Leverkusen.

City have three games left to ensure qualification to the Round of 16 stages and skipper Bernardo Silva has admitted that his side have lost a golden opportunity to put one foot into the last eight after a dreadful, toothless display on Tuesday evening.

“Very hard to take,” the Portugal international said in an interview with Sky Sports. “We’re still in a good position but it was a great opportunity at home to put ourselves in an even better position to qualify in the UEFA Champions League first eight, avoid two more games.

Silva remembers how City had to dig deep and play their way into the Round of 16 through the knockout play-offs last term after a dismal group-stage campaign left them on the verge of elimination.

“It’s very important for the season,” Silva added on qualifying for the Round of 16 directly and evading unnecessary additions to the calendar. “Normally they’re tough games, as well as it tightens the schedule. Very disappointing.”

Guardiola was bombarded with questions on his selection on Tuesday and the Manchester City manager admitted that he was at fault for making one change too many to his lineup from the weekend’s loss in Tyneside.

Dissecting Guardiola’s selection, Silva said: “When you change that many (players against Bayer Leverkusen), the chemistry, connection – it’s more difficult to find, because those players were not really used to playing together.

“So it’s more difficult. Also the confidence levels were not as high as players that play every three days. But it’s football, it’s part of it, you take it, learn, get better, move on, try to go for the next game.”

Silva is expected to return to the lineup against Leeds United on Saturday and nothing less than three points will do for Manchester City, who slipped to third place in the Premier League table last week and saw Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the tree to six points after victory in the north London derby.