Pep Guardiola accepted full responsibility after Manchester City suffered a surprising 2-0 home defeat to Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League, a result he admitted was caused by his own selection gamble.

The City manager made 10 changes from the weekend loss at Newcastle United, resting key players including Erling Haaland, whose 14 league goals remain unmatched by any of his teammates.

Guardiola confessed immediately that he had gone too far with the rotation. He said his intention was to protect players during a congested period that includes domestic matches, international duty, and an upcoming run of fixtures against Fulham, Sunderland, and Real Madrid. But he acknowledged the experiment backfired.

He explained that Tuesday’s lineup played under unnecessary pressure, more focused on avoiding errors than expressing themselves.

The defeat ended City’s 23-match unbeaten home record in the Champions League group or league phase and leaves them sixth in the standings on 10 points with one game left.

City now turn their attention to a crucial trip to Real Madrid on December 10, though Guardiola insists there is still enough time to secure a top-eight finish and a direct path to the last 16.