Carrying their Premier League momentum into the Champions League is now the challenge in front of Haaland, Foden and the rest of the Manchester City squad.
A few days ago, Pep Guardiola highlighted just how crucial Rodri is to the team, saying that he can “create a difference just by being on the pitch, even without touching the ball.” Yet City will have to face Real Madrid with that major void in midfield.
Rodri won the Ballon d’Or in October 2024, recognition for his outstanding performances in the 2023–24 season. But he walked onto the stage with crutches, having suffered an ACL injury a month earlier that ruled him out for almost the entire campaign.
With Rodri sidelined, City also seemed to lose their rhythm. Even after returning from a 236-day layoff, the Spanish defensive midfielder has struggled to find his true form. It’s hardly surprising—since then, he has picked up three more injuries.
He remains out once again, beaten by another setback. A hamstring injury has restricted him to just one minute of football over the past two months. Guardiola will also be without him for the crucial upcoming match.
City will meet Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the game kicking off at 2 AM Bangladesh time at the Santiago Bernabéu.
On Tuesday, the Premier League club announced a 21-man squad for the match—Rodri was not included.
City lost their last Champions League game 2–0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen, prompting clear frustration from Guardiola over the team’s poor performance.
Since then, however, they have won all three of their Premier League matches. Now the challenge for Haaland and Foden is to carry that momentum back into Europe.
After five matches in the Champions League group stage, City sit ninth with 10 points from three wins and one draw. Real Madrid are fifth with 12 points.
