15 hours ago
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Pep Guardiola made 10 changes to his Manchester City side for the Champions League tie with Bayer Leverkusen
Pep Guardiola made 10 changes to his Manchester City side for the Champions League tie with Bayer Leverkusen - and then said he would have made 11 if he could. Nico Gonzalez was the only City player to retain his place from the weekend Premier League defeat to Newcastle United as Guardiola opted for a shock selection against the in-form Bundesliga side.
City are well placed in the Champions League having taken 10 points from their opening four games but the selection represents something of a gamble with a trip to Real Madrid on the horizon. The team still contains plenty of quality and the bench is stacked with quality and experience.
City have lost four of their 12 top flight fixtures so far this season and will be keen to put that right when they host Leeds United on Saturday afternoon at the Etihad. The majority of those rested against Leverkusen will be expected to start that contest.
Guardiola explained his selection ahead of kick-off and alluded to the hectic fixture list and that the 72 hour turnaround from Saturday night's Premier League trip to Newcastle United had played a part in his thinking. "I wanted [to make] 11 [changes] but I don't have the player to do 11," said Guardiola, speaking to TNT Sports.
"When you have a squad with 22 players and just play 11, 11, 11 you don't have 22, you have 11. We have to do it together, a lot of games, we need fresh legs and everyone involved. That is why they are Manchester City players and I decided today for this line-up.
"A lot of them play for their national team, they are incredible players. There are a lot of games, we played Newcastle on Sunday. Today we need fresh legs in everything and that is why we start with them. And maybe we are going to finish with them and we have an opportunity today to make an incredible step forward."
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