Manchester City 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen - UEFA Champions League result as Pep Guardiola's side suffer defeat to rampant Bundesliga side

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SHAMBOLIC MAN CITY HUMBLED BY BRAVE BAYER LEVERKUSEN
Bayer Leverkusen recorded a famous victory over Manchester City as goals from Patrick Schick and Alex Grimaldo consigned the heavily rotated Citizens to a depressing defeat, with Pep Guardiola’s side never getting out of second gear in the UEFA Champions League clash.
Managing City in Europe’s top competition for the 100th time, Guardiola changed 10 of his starters from the defeat to Newcastle including Gianluigi Donnarumma, but he was made to pay by The Factory XI.
Though they had a fantastic early chance when Nathan Ake’s early shot was saved by Mark Flekken - who was outstanding all evening - City struggled to settle and never truly clicked even after the introduction of superstars like Erling Haaland and Phil Foden when they were already 2-0 down.
Omar Marmoush, Rico Lewis and Adbukodir Khusanov all played terribly and failed to take their opportunity, with Khusanov partially at fault for Grimaldo’s opener.
It was a trademark ruthless counter by the visitors with the fantastic Malik Tillman receiving a brave pass in the centre circle and surging upfield, setting up a zipped cross that ran to Grimaldo via Christian Kofane allowing the skipper to rifle his shot across goal and into the bottom corner.
A muted response from Manchester City meant they only had one real chance in the rest of the half, when Reijnders’ poorly placed shot was saved well by Flekken, and Guardiola’s evening worsened nine minutes after half time when Schick beat Nathan Ake to Ibrahim Maza’s cross and put a glancing header past Trafford.
More mistakes crept into Bayer Leverkusen’s game as they tired but City were unable to show the quality or the hunger to capitalise, with the visitors responding brilliantly every time they lost the ball.
Having started the evening with the chance to go top of the League Phase table, Manchester City could now drop out of the all-important top eight in 24 hours if PSG, Real Madrid and Liverpool win tomorrow while Bayer Leverkusen have greatly boosted their chance of making the Knockout Phase Play-offs.
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'Didn't he take it well!' - Grimaldo puts Bayer Leverkusen ahead against Man City

Video credit: TNT Sports


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SCORES ON THE DOORS
Newcastle led at half-time but Marseille turned it around, while Chelsea have recorded a famous victory.
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Chelsea 3-0 Barcelona – Estevao outshines Yamal as Blues batter 10-man Barca at Stamford Bridge
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'A shining star'- Estevao grabs a 'magnificent' second for Chelsea in Barca rout

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'REMARKABLE' BY LEVERKUSEN
However, the night belongs to Bayer Leverkusen who fought hard for that victory, and ex-City midfielder Owen Hargreaves waxed lyrical about the German side on TNT Sports:
"It's a huge night. It's hard to come to City and win. To do it in that manner, the way they played with a young team, losing all their best players...remarkable."
We'll bring you the final scores from around Europe next so if you want to avoid spoilers, look away now.
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'An outstanding stop' - Flekken denies early Man City chance from Ake

Video credit: TNT Sports


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PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND
Jolean Lescott was far from impressed by Manchester City, and told TNT Sports that both Guardiola and his players have to share the blame:
"I think everyone will take responsibility. I think when you win and lose as a team, you all enjoy the accolades and the praise that you get, but you also have to take the responsibility and accountability when it doesn't go so well."
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'We need fresh legs' says Guardiola as he explains his 10 changes ahead of Leverkusen clash

Video credit: TNT Sports


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Goal
WATCH: SCHICK CONFIRMS LEVERKUSEN VICTORY
Coming less than 10 minutes in the second half, this killed the game off for Bayer Leverkusen.
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'His movement is ridiculous!' - Schick heads Leverkusen 2-0 up against Man City

Video credit: TNT Sports


P. Schick
Goal
P. Schick
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
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From title deciders to relegation six-pointers, TNT Sports and discovery+ offers exclusive Premier League games with access to 52 fixtures this season - alongside over 185 UEFA Champions League matches and every UEFA Europa League and Conference League match exclusively live. Plus, the Emirates FA Cup, Adobe Women's FA Cup and Serie A.
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28/11/2025 at 10:05

Full time
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Whistle
FULL-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 0-2 BAYER LEVEKUSEN
The game ends in a whimper for Manchester City, it's been a dreadful performance by the 2023 European champions who lose at the Etihad in the league/group phase of the Champions League for the first time since 2013!
Guardiola's Bayern Munich were the last German side to beat City at home and Bayer Leverkusen fully deserved it.
90'
ONLY TWO ADDED MINUTES
City almost had something to play for in them as Poku slipped and directed the ball towards goal, yet Flekken reacts and flops on it.
Hoardes of City fans are heading to the exit and the away section is loving it!
89'
HAALAND DENIED AGAIN
He's been pretty poor tonight too.
Leverkusen are visibly tiring and give the ball away at the back once more, allowing Haaland to rampage 35 yards towards goal.
Yet the German side scramble well and block his shot, then the attempt of Doku. It's looking like their night.
87'
CRAZY FEW SECONDS
Savinho breaks forward on a counter and then with no one around him, slips up giving the ball back to Leverkusen.
However, Cherki then pressures the defender off the ball in the penalty area, yet instead of pulling it back to Haaland he takes a shot from a tight angle that had little chance of beating Flekken.
84'
Substitution
HJULMAND MAKES HIS MOVE
Unsurprisingly it's Kofane who's withdrawn, with Nathan Tella trotting on. City have their best opportunity in a while after Bade concedes a free kick that Cherki curls towards the top corner, inevitably met by a diving Flekken.
N. Tella
Substitution in
N. Tella
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
C. Kofane
Substitution out
C. Kofane
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
82'
WASTEFUL FROM CHERKI
Again, it's representative of The Citizens' evening. Tillman makes a rare bad touch allowing Cherki to get on the ball on the edge of the box, but he drags his shot well wide as Haaland was waiting on the last man.
80'
10 MINUTES TO GO
And Manchester City need to click into gear. Bayer Leverkusen haven't made a change yet either, so Hjulmand has three chances to slow down the end of the game.
78'
NO, THEY CAN'T
City have looked directionless all evening and that continues, as they simply recycle the ball around the box before handing a hopeful cross into a crowded penalty area where Ake's tame header is easily gathered.
Indeed, the free-kick eventually leads to a better chance for Kofane at the other end of the pitch.
77'
Card - Yellow
GREAT POSITION
Kofane dives into a poor challenge and is deservedly booked, giving Manchester City an intriguing free kick centrally around 25 yards out. Foden and Cherki are standing over it, can they capitalize?
C. Kofane
Yellow card
C. Kofane
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
75'
HAALAND AGAIN!
The Norwegian receives a cross, controls it and then attempts an audacious half-volley. You'd usually back him to score those but in a microcosm of everything City have done tonight, it's off target.
73'
COULD'VE BEEN 3-0!
The ball was there for Schick! Bayer Leverkusen break and could've slid the ball through to Schick for a golden opportunity.
Instead, they go wide and the return ball into the middle never materialises.
70'
FANTASTIC FROM FLEKKEN, AGAIN!
With all dues respect to Brentford, the Dutchman is having the game of his LIFE tonight!
Bayer Levekusen are caught on the counter-attack and this time Haaland does only have the goalkeeper to beat.
Flekken rushes out but he has to halt his momentum to stay in the penalty area, and Haaland attempts to round the keeper, but Flekken dives in and sweeps the ball clear - that's a collectors' item miss.
67'
FIRST CHANCE FOR HAALAND
It didn't take long for Foden to target the centre-forward! After a beautiful touch from Foden, he slides in a pass that would've given the Norwegian a one-on-one, but it was ever so slightly underhit and Bayer Leverkusen can clear.
64'
Substitution
BREAK GLASS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
It's Haaland time for Manchester City. Guardiola can't make any more changes as he introduces the goal machine for Marmoush who's been really disappointing tonight while Rayan Cherki is on for Khusanov.
The Uzbek defendar also hasn't grabbed his opportunity.
E. Haaland
Substitution in
E. Haaland
Manchester City
Manchester City
O. Marmoush
Substitution out
O. Marmoush
Manchester City
Manchester City