On the eve of the highly anticipated clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid in the Champions League playoff round, Rúben Dias admitted that this has been his toughest season since joining the English club in 2020.
The Portuguese defender, now in his fifth season with the Citizens, addressed the media, highlighting the team’s struggles. City is currently fifth in the Premier League, 15 points behind leaders Liverpool.
High-stakes showdown between City and Real
Both clubs find themselves in the playoffs after disappointing group-stage campaigns: City finished 22nd, while reigning European champions Real Madrid placed only 12th. This marks the fourth consecutive season the two giants face each other in the Champions League, following two semi-finals and a quarter-final under the old format.
According to Rúben Dias, controlling the game will be key to eliminating Real Madrid, learning from last season’s frustrating exit, where City dominated but failed to seal the win, eventually losing on penalties.
The Portuguese also downplayed Madrid’s absences (Vázquez, Militão, Alaba, Carvajal, and Rüdiger), stating that it will only matter if City takes advantage. He also brushed off controversy surrounding Real Madrid’s boycott of the Ballon d’Or ceremony for Rodri: “I haven’t spent a second thinking about whether it was disrespectful or not.”