Bayer Leverkusen delivered one of the biggest surprises of the European matchday by defeating Manchester City 0-2 at the Etihad Stadium, thanks to goals from Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrick Schick. The German side capitalized on every mistake by the hosts and left Pep Guardiola’s team with more doubts than answers at a decisive stage of the season.

The Catalan coach was managing his 100th Champions League match with the Citizens, but chose to mark the occasion with heavy rotation, leaving players like Erling Haaland, Rúben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Doku and Gvardiol on the bench. The plan backfired. City monopolized possession, yes, but with no penetration, no spark, and none of the usual home intimidation.

A disciplined, efficient and ruthless Leverkusen

From the start, the German side understood that their opportunity lay in resisting and striking quickly. Sitting deep with discipline and waiting for mistakes, Xabi Alonso’s team —still competitive even with him away from the touchline— gradually wore down City’s patience.

The first blow arrived through a clean transition: Malik Tilman switched play to the wing, Ernest Doku delivered a precise cross and Michel Kofane laid the ball off for Grimaldo, who arrived from deep to unleash a lethal left-footed strike. Completely unmarked, the Spaniard fired past James Trafford, making his European debut and helpless on the play.

City tried to respond, but between a lack of ideas and an impeccable Mark Flekken, every glimpse of danger evaporated. The Dutch goalkeeper denied efforts from Tijjani Reijnders and Nathan Aké, preserving the 0-1 lead at halftime.

Schick seals it and City has no response

After the break, Guardiola turned to Phil Foden and Doku to inject pace, but the match already had an owner. In the 54th minute, Ibrahim Maza delivered a perfect cross and Schick rose above the defenders to head in the 0-2, silencing the Etihad.

Under pressure, Guardiola sent on Haaland and Cherki, but even that wasn’t enough. The Norwegian barely received a single clear ball, and the Frenchman had two chances that Flekken once again shut down, the keeper turning into a brick wall.

Leverkusen held firm in the closing minutes and wrapped up a monumental victory that puts them fully in the fight to advance, while City could drop out of the top eight depending on the rest of the matchday’s results.

Here are all the goals from the match