Pep Guardiola's tactical reshuffle backfired spectacularly during his 100th UEFA Champions League match as Manchester City manager, with Bayer Leverkusen securing a 2-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Chelsea capitalized on Barcelona's defensive errors and a first-half red card to claim a commanding 3-0 win in their Group Stage clash.
Guardiola made 10 changes to City's lineup following their weekend Premier League defeat, resting key players including Erling Haaland. The gamble failed to pay off as Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a precise low drive, before Patrik Schick sealed the win with a header after halftime. "We lacked rhythm and cohesion," Guardiola admitted post-match.
In London, Barcelona's night unraveled early when defender Ronald Araújo received a straight red card for a last-man foul in the 18th minute. Chelsea's 18-year-old Brazilian striker Estevao then stole the spotlight, scoring his first Champions League goal before forcing an own goal to complete the rout.
