Manchester City include injured midfielder Rodri in Champions League squad for knockout phase | Football News
Manchester City on Friday added midfielder Rodri in the Champions League squad for the knockout phase as the 2023 champions hope for the Spaniard international to potentially return to action this season. The Ballon d’Or winner had torn the ACL in his right knee against Arsenal on September 22 and had previously set a target of about April – “six to seven months” after the injury – to return to play.
UEFA had set a midnight Thursday deadline to submit updated squad ls for European competitions. With a limit of three new signings in the midseason transfer window allowed, City left out teenage defender Vitor Reis who joined from Palmeiras last month.
With the Champions League quarters set to take place on April 8, the English champions have a daunting task to stay in the competition until then without star midfielder Rodri, who scored the winning goal in the 2023 final against Inter Milan.
Our squad for the @ChampionsLeague has been updated 📋
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 7, 2025
Man City face Real Madrid in a two-leg knockout playoff, next Tuesday and on February 19. The winner will play either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16.
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New signings who are included in coach Pep Guardiola’s squad for the Champions League are midfielder Nico Gonzalez — who can stand in for Rodri — forward Omar Marmoush, and defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
Last week, City manager Pep Guardiola had said that he does not see the club winning the Champions League this season. This was after a nerve-wracking match against Club Brugge who gave City a scare with a first-half goal before the 2023 champions came back to win the contest 3-1.
“Right now, no (I don’t). I’m so pragmatic, the reality is the reality,” Guardiola responded to a question on if City can win the Champions League this season at the post-match press conference.
(With agency inputs)
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