I never want to see him in a Man City shirt again.” 🗣️ “He was meant to be the next Messi.” One Man City star has got fans talking for all of the wrong reasons after what they saw him do against Bayer Leverkusen.

The night Manchester City lost 2–0 to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League will be remembered not only because of the shock result, but because of the reaction that followed from the fans. The atmosphere inside the Etihad was strange, almost confused, almost silent, like nobody could understand what they were watching. Manchester City, the team that once destroyed almost every opponent in Europe, the team that made winning look normal, were suddenly beaten at home by a Leverkusen side that had been struggling and misfiring. But the scoreline was not the only source of pain. It was the performance, and it was the frustration, and it was the shock of watching some players look completely unrecognisable from who they used to be.

All fingers turned towards Pep Guardiola immediately after the final whistle. The stadium was not shouting loudly, but the frustration was everywhere. City fans could not understand why Guardiola made so many rotations on such a big Champions League night. City supporters are used to seeing big decisions and tactical genius from their manager, but this time it felt like the gamble went wrong. Players were out of rhythm, out of confidence, and some simply looked lost. And the biggest talking point of the night was Oscar Bobb.

There was a time when the whole of Manchester believed Oscar Bobb was the next magical football talent. There was a time when his dribbling, creativity and fearlessness made fans think he could become the next Messi. There was a time when the Etihad celebrated him like the future. But against Bayer Leverkusen, the fans saw a version of Bobb they could not understand. Instead of bravery, there was hesitation. Instead of confidence, there was panic. Instead of fire, there was fear. And because of this, the decline became the number one topic of discussion.

The disappointment came from a deep emotional place because City fans have been waiting for Bobb to return to full fitness. They suffered watching him miss games because of injuries. They waited for him to recover. They imagined he was coming back stronger, sharper and hungry to take over the right wing. They imagined the energy, the goals, the dribbles, the confidence. They imagined Oscar Bobb lifting the team and proving everyone right.

But when he stepped on the pitch against Leverkusen, what they saw felt like the opposite of everything they imagined.

Even though Bobb delivered two key passes and created one big chance, the fans did not feel encouraged. What they saw on the heat map and with their eyes was a player who was afraid to carry the ball into the box, a player who stayed outside the 18-yard area too many times, a player who refused to attack defenders, a player who passed backward instead of forward, a player who looked unsure of his own ability. The confidence that once made his football sparkle was gone. And fans felt the fear.

When Pep Guardiola took him off at half-time for Jeremy Doku, the message was clear. The manager did not believe Bobb could change the match. And that substitution sent the fanbase into a meltdown. Social media exploded with reactions. Some were angry. Some were heartbroken. Some were confused. Some were scared of what this meant for the player’s future.

One fan wrote online that this was not the Oscar Bobb everyone waited for, calling the decline “insanely scary.” Another fan said they once believed Bobb would become the next Lionel Messi, but now they asked, “what happened?” The frustration kept growing. Another fan added that Bobb had not shown anything since the goal he scored against Newcastle with the help of Kevin De Bruyne. Another supporter claimed Oscar Bobb and Savinho should not even be near the starting lineup. And another one said what almost everyone was thinking quietly: maybe Bobb needs a loan because he is stuck and cannot progress this way.

The pain in the comments came from passion. Supporters do not get emotional unless they care. And the City fanbase genuinely wanted Oscar Bobb to succeed. They believed in him the same way they once believed in Phil Foden when he was young. They wanted to see a new academy star rise in the Pep Guardiola era. But the way things are going now, it looks like that dream is fading fast, and the fans are terrified that they are watching the early stages of permanent decline.

Bobb’s struggles cannot be explained only by the Leverkusen match. His development has been unstable for more than a year. The injuries destroyed his rhythm, and rhythm is everything for a young winger. Every time he looked ready to build momentum, something happened. Every time he looked ready to break into the starting lineup, he got set back again. Football can be unforgiving. At a club like Manchester City, competition is huge, pressure is massive, and second chances are never guaranteed.

Yet the frustration was not only directed at Bobb. Savinho, playing on the opposite wing, was also extremely poor. Fans felt like both wingers offered nothing on the night, no width, no danger, no final product. And this raised a bigger question: do City need a new winger in January if they want to compete for every trophy this season? The answer from fans was loud: yes.

Some supporters even went back in time, revisiting a painful transfer decision. They remembered that Manchester City sold Cole Palmer to Chelsea because the club believed Oscar Bobb would become better in the long run. Now Palmer is shining at Chelsea, scoring goals, providing assists, playing with confidence, while Bobb is struggling to find his level. And because of that, some City fans now feel betrayed by the decision.

Football moves fast. One good match can make a player a hero. One bad run can make him a target. Oscar Bobb is not the first young player to face pressure, and he will not be the last. But what makes this situation dramatic is how quickly the excitement turned into fear. Supporters were expecting a superstar at 22. Instead, they are watching a player who looks unsure even about simple decisions.

Pep Guardiola now has a big responsibility. He must decide whether to protect Bobb or push him aside for other players. He must decide whether to keep him in the squad or send him on loan. He must decide whether to rebuild his confidence slowly or replace him for the sake of City’s trophies this season. These choices are not easy. Pep has always loved developing young players, but Manchester City also demands results every week. There are no soft landing places in a club that wants to win everything.

And this is why the fans feel fear. They do not want to lose another talented academy player. They do not want to repeat the story of Jadon Sancho, who left because he was not given enough chances. They do not want to watch Oscar Bobb become a star somewhere else while City regret it. But at the same time, they do not want to watch him struggle week after week, hurting the team and suffering under pressure. It is a complicated emotional battle.

For Oscar Bobb, the situation is now a test of character. Every young player faces a moment like this in their career, when things stop being easy and start becoming heavy. The difference between a temporary setback and a long-term collapse is how a player responds mentally. Does he fight? Does he hide? Does he grow? Does he give up? Every future superstar has a low point before they shine again. The only question now is whether Bobb can rise.

The upcoming weeks will decide a lot. Pep Guardiola must now decide if he trusts Oscar Bobb to play in big matches. The player must decide if he has the mentality to bounce back. The fans are watching everything, waiting to see a sign of hope. They are not asking for perfection. They are asking for courage, energy, aggression, hunger. They want to see the Oscar Bobb they fell in love with. They want to see the spark again.

The decline might look scary now, but football has a way of writing dramatic turnarounds. The same player the fans are criticising today could be the hero tomorrow. The same winger they doubt now could score the winning goal in the Champions League later this season. Talent does not disappear. Confidence can return. And if Bobb finds it again, the same supporters who are shouting today will sing his name louder than ever.

But nothing will change unless Bobb becomes brave again. Because fear on the pitch is not allowed. Especially in a team built to dominate the world.

For now, the criticism continues. The questions continue. The uncertainty continues. Manchester City cannot afford more weak performances, not in a season where every rival is becoming stronger. But if there is one thing football has proven, it is that every setback can become the beginning of something greater.

Oscar Bobb has a choice. He can let this moment destroy him, or he can use it to become the player everyone once dreamed he would become. The next chapter of his career starts now, whether he wants it or not. And the whole Manchester City fanbase will be watching every step closely, every touch, every decision, every run