Updated squad lists for European competitions are required by UEFA’s midnight Thursday deadline. The maximum three new signings in the midseason transfer window were allowed, and City’s decision to leave teenage defender Vitor Reis out of their squad for the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition was made public on Friday.
Rodri’s season was initially thought to be over, but the Spanish international has set a target of “six to seven months” to come back to action after torn ACL in his right knee against Arsenal on September 22. April 8 will mark the Champions League quarterfinals.
Without veteran midfielder Rodri, who scored the winning goal in the 2023 final against Inter Milan, Rodri will have to endure the challenge.
Next Tuesday and on February 19, City will face Real Madrid in a two-leg knockout playoff. In the round of 16, the winner will face Bayer Leverkusen or Atletico Madrid.
City manager Pep Guardiola said to reporters on Friday ahead of City’s FA Cup game against Leyton Orient on Saturday: “We will come back early to Manchester and after we have time to talk about Real Madrid.
Leyton Orient deserves my attention, as they have always done, despite the fact that I have an eye on Madrid. Without them, we wouldn’t have the FA Cup semi-finals and finals we’ve had in the previous five, six years.
Omar Marmoush, Omar Marmoush, and Abdukodir Khusanov, two other players who are new signings and are also members of coach Pep Guardiola’s Champions League squad for the Champions League, are also in the squad.
Guardiola said that 23-year-old Gonzalez, who signed on transfer deadline day on Monday, is” really important”.
After Rodri’s absence, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager said, “We were weak in that position.”
Source: Aljazeera
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