Man City player ratings: ‘Extremely poor’ 4/10 duo and nine 5/10s in dire Bayer Leverkusen defeat – gallery

Football is a game of joy and pain, a game where one night can build a team’s confidence and the next night can completely destroy it, and that is exactly what happened to Manchester City when they faced Bayer Leverkusen and suffered a shocking 2-0 defeat. The atmosphere before kickoff was full of hope because Manchester City were expected to respond after their weekend loss to Newcastle, but what happened inside the Etihad Stadium was not what the fans dreamed of. It was another painful night that left supporters silent, the players frustrated, and Pep Guardiola looking like a man who didn’t recognise his own team. European nights are supposed to be magical for City, the nights where history is written, but this one became a nightmare that fans will remember for the wrong reasons.

Pep Guardiola made many changes to the starting lineup, trying something new, trying to give rest to some big stars and maybe give fresh energy to the squad. Only Nico Gonzalez remained from the defeat to Newcastle. Donnarumma sat on the bench, Phil Foden was on the bench, Erling Haaland was on the bench, and it felt like City entered the game without their strongest armour. Maybe Pep wanted rotation, maybe he wanted to surprise Leverkusen tactically, or maybe he wanted to send a message to his players that no one is guaranteed a spot, but the decision ended up giving fuel to the critics because the performance collapsed immediately.

Despite the disaster that came later, the match didn’t actually start terribly. City almost took the lead early when Nathan Ake produced a strong header that forced a brilliant stop from Mark Flekken. At that moment, fans thought the pressure was building in City’s favour. But the warning signs arrived fast because Leverkusen looked fast and dangerous on the break every time they touched the ball. They moved like a well-drilled machine, and Ernest Poku almost opened the scoring if not for a crucial block from Rayan Aït-Nouri. That moment saved City temporarily but also exposed how vulnerable they were defensively.

The danger became reality midway through the first half when Bayer Leverkusen captain Alejandro Grimaldo stepped up with cold focus and drilled a low shot straight into the far corner. It was the kind of goal that looked easy but required precision, calmness and confidence, and City simply didn’t have any of those qualities in the first half. As the Leverkusen players celebrated, City supporters could not believe what they were watching. Their team looked slow, confused, and disconnected. The midfield lacked creativity, the defence was not strong enough, and the attack was almost invisible.

As the first half went on, City continued to struggle in every department. Simple passes were missed, possession was lost too cheaply, and many players looked like they were mentally tired. Tijani Reijnders almost gave City some hope before halftime with a strike that came close, but it was not enough to change the direction of the match. When the halftime whistle sounded, you could feel the disappointment spreading across the stadium like thick smoke. People began to ask questions silently: why did Guardiola leave Haaland, Foden and Donnarumma on the bench in a must-win Champions League match?

Guardiola reacted quickly. At halftime, he made three big substitutions, trying to rescue what was left of the match. But it didn’t work. Instead, Leverkusen punished City again, and this time the pain was double. Patrik Schick rose above the defence and powered a header into the net for the second goal. John Stones and Nathan Ake were beaten too easily, and the City defence looked numb. At 2–0, the stadium went quiet, and the City players looked like they had been punched right in the heart.

After the second goal, Guardiola had no choice but to bring in Haaland and Rayan Cherki. The plan was to change the game, but even they could not change anything. Haaland barely touched the ball, Cherki tried to create but struggled, and the whole team looked lost. Watching the match, you could feel how heavy the pressure was on every player. It was like nobody was brave enough to take responsibility. It was like the team spirit was missing. When a football squad loses confidence, everything becomes difficult, and Manchester City looked like a team drowning inside their own anxiety.

When the final whistle came, it was not only 2–0 on the scoreboard, it was pain in the hearts of every Manchester City fan. It was disappointment in the manager’s risky rotation, disappointment in the lack of hunger from the players, disappointment in the entire performance. People who love Manchester City are not used to watching their team play like that, especially in the Champions League. The expectation was high, but the performance was extremely poor.

The player ratings after the match reflected the sadness and frustration. Many players got only 5/10, and two players especially were rated 4/10 because their performance was described as extremely poor. James Trafford could not do much about either of the goals, although he struggled with his distribution. The defence lacked intensity and concentration. The midfield failed to control the game. The attack didn’t look threatening. There was no leadership on the pitch, even though City have many experienced players.

It was one of those nights where every individual mistake combined with tactical problems, mental stress and lack of rhythm, and it produced a performance that the fans could not defend. Leverkusen deserved the victory because they were sharp, hungry, organised and fearless. They played like a team that desperately wanted to win. City played like a team searching for answers they could not find.

Some fans defended Guardiola, saying rotation is necessary and that tired legs needed rest after the weekend. But others were angry, saying the Champions League is not the time for experiments. Social media exploded after the match, with many supporters debating whether the manager’s decision to rest Haaland and Foden cost them the game. Some said the squad looked too casual, others said Pep’s system is becoming predictable. A few even said the players look mentally drained after many seasons of constant pressure.

The truth is that football is full of ups and downs. Manchester City have experienced incredible highs, historic victories, stunning performances and nights full of pride. But sometimes a big team needs to taste defeat to rediscover hunger. Maybe this loss will wake something up inside the squad. Maybe this disappointment will help rebuild unity. Or maybe it will create more pressure until things get better.

What cannot be denied is that Pep Guardiola now has questions to answer. The fans need to see a reaction. The players need to show fire in their eyes again. Losing one match hurts, losing two in a row hurts even more, and losing twice with poor performances makes fans worried. Everyone in the club knows that the next matches are now extremely important.

Haaland will have to return to scoring form. Phil Foden will need to produce magic again. The defence will need to be reorganised and focused. The midfield must become the engine of the team again. And most importantly, every player needs to remember what it means to wear the Manchester City shirt. It is not just a jersey, it is a responsibility.

Nobody knows what will happen next, but everybody knows that this 2-0 defeat will not be forgotten quickly. Nights like this become stories that live in the memory of a club. Sometimes they break a team, sometimes they build a new version of it. The only way for Manchester City to escape this pain is to respond on the pitch, not with words but with football.

Fans will return to the stadium again, hoping for a better performance, hoping for energy, passion and goals. They want to see Manchester City back at the top of Europe. They want to see the team that used to dominate, not the team that crumbled against Leverkusen. And the players know that. Deep down, they know they owe the fans a response.

The Manchester City season is far from finished. There is still time to recover, still time to fight, still time to change the story. But if there is one lesson from this game, it is that reputation cannot win matches, only performance can. Leverkusen showed that hunger beats complacency, energy beats overconfidence, teamwork beats confusion.

Football is cruel but also fair. It rewards those who fight and punishes those who switch off, even for a moment. City switched off, Leverkusen punished them, and now the world waits to see the reaction. The road back to confidence will not be easy, but champions are made by how they rise after falling, not by how comfortable they are when everything is perfect.

For now, the only truth is that Manchester City were beaten 2–0, they were outplayed, they were second best, and they will have to look in the mirror. The next chapter begins soon, and that chapter will decide if this defeat becomes a wound or a turning point.