Pep Guardiola Hits Back at Claims He “Overthinks” After Making 10 Changes in Leverkusen Defeat
City boss takes responsibility for Leverkusen defeat but insists bold decisions are part of his coaching identity.
Pep Guardiola has insisted he will never apologise for thinking deeply about his team selections, even as he accepted full responsibility for Manchester City’s disappointing 2–0 Champions League loss to Bayer Leverkusen.
The City manager made 10 changes to his starting XI in midweek, a gamble he later admitted “went wrong” as his rotated side struggled to create chances, lacked rhythm, and allowed Leverkusen to take control. The defeat left City’s European progress more complicated and added pressure heading into Saturday’s Premier League clash with Leeds at the Etihad.
But while Guardiola acknowledged that the selection was risky, he stood firm against criticism claiming he “overthinks” important fixtures — an accusation that has followed him throughout his nine years in Manchester.
“I Knew the Consequences” — Guardiola Accepts Blame but Defends His Process
Speaking ahead of the Leeds match, Guardiola said he fully understood that such sweeping changes would raise eyebrows if the result did not go his way.
“I take full responsibility,” he said. “When I make 10 changes, I know the consequences are going to be bad. I know it. It happened.”
He explained that sticking with the usual starters — such as Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, and Bernardo Silva — would have been the easy way out. But with City facing a demanding schedule of fixtures “every three days,” he believed rotation was necessary.
Guardiola also pointed to previous moments when bold decisions paid off, such as playing academy graduate Rico Lewis away at Villarreal — a move many questioned beforehand, only for Lewis to win Man of the Match.
“Do you think I don’t think about when I put Rico Lewis in and it goes bad? Everyone will say, ‘What is Pep doing?’ I know my consequences. But I’ve done it many times.”
A Long-Standing Criticism Resurfaces
Accusations of Guardiola “overthinking” big matches have been around since his early years at City, especially in the Champions League. Critics claimed he sometimes changed what was working, trying to outsmart opponents instead of trusting the strengths that made City dominant.
In recent seasons, those claims faded as City grew more consistent and secured major trophies — including the Champions League in 2023. But the Leverkusen defeat has reopened the debate.
Guardiola, however, rejected the idea that thinking is a weakness:
“I love it. Do you think thinking is a problem? When I think a lot and it works, I’m a genius. When it doesn’t, I’m overthinking.”
He added that his decisions are always made with the team’s best interests in mind, even though he knows every call can backfire.
“I take decisions knowing they can be wrong. I tell the players the same — it can happen. But I support them. I only ask them to try.”
City Under Pressure After Back-to-Back Defeats
The loss to Leverkusen followed another disappointing result for City, marking back-to-back defeats at a crucial moment in their season. With important Premier League and Champions League fixtures ahead, the atmosphere around the club has shifted from calm confidence to mild concern.
City have struggled to find their usual fluency in recent weeks, scoring just two goals in their last two games and conceding four. Their defensive structure appears slightly unsettled, and the absence of key players in rotation matches has exposed gaps.
Yet Guardiola stressed that rotation will continue — though perhaps with more caution:
“One day I will have to make changes. But 10 is too much.”
Leeds Clash Becomes a Critical Moment
Saturday’s meeting with Leeds now carries extra weight. City are chasing momentum, trying to avoid a rare run of three straight defeats under Guardiola. The manager knows that another slip could widen the gap in the Premier League title race.
Still, he remained calm and composed, insisting that criticism comes with the job:
“I know the noise. But I’ve been here long enough to understand it.”
With Guardiola determined not to back away from bold decisions, and with City eager to respond after a frustrating week, the clash at the Etihad promises to be a significant moment in their season.
