Bristol City manager Michael Skubala has explained why both Tomi Horvat and Sam Bell were missing from his squad in their Carabao Cup defeat to Walsall. The Robins succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to the League Two outfit, exiting the Carabao Cup at the first stage.
What happened?
Skubala explained that Horvat and Bell were left out because he wanted to see Yu Hirakawa and Emil Riis in action. The defeat to Walsall in his first competitive match is a disappointing start to Skubala's reign. He made the move to Aston Gate after leading Lincoln City to the League One title last season.
Why it matters for Bristol City
Bristol City will now kick off their Championship campaign against Millwall next weekend, looking to improve on their final 2025 table standing of 12th in Championship, with 62 pts, 17W-11D-18L from 46 games, and recent form WLDLD.
What comes next?
I've learned a lot today, reflected Skubala on his first match in charge. I've learned a lot about different players in different moments. Pre-season is great, but this feels like a step up for the guys. Bristol City has scored 59 goals this season, while conceding 59, resulting in a 0 goal difference. The team is currently 33 points behind leaders Coventry. Their next fixture is against Watford on 2027-02-20, away from home, as they look to climb the table from their current 16th position.
