Real Madrid not bothered by Man City fans’ controversial banner ahead of UCL showdown | OneFootball

With merely hours remaining before Manchester City take on Real Madrid at the Etihad tonight, the home team has sent out a clear message to the visitors – they are willing to play this one dirty.

In the lead up to the team, Manchester City fans have prepared a controversial banner for tonight’s game – a picture of Rodri holding the Ballon d’Or title

Alongside the picture, the caption reads, “Don’t Cry Your Heart Out.”

This is a clear reference to last year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony when Vinicius Jr. was famously snubbed for the coveted honour, leading to mass protest from Real Madrid, who chose not to attend the event.

Now, with just hours remaining for the clash, Manchester City have flared up tension by reminding everyone of the events that took place.

Real Madrid not bothered

Man City fans’ banner to ‘mock’ Vinicius (Photo courtesy: El Chiringuito TV)

However, Jose Luis Sanchez reports that Real Madrid and Vinicius have both seen the poster from Manchester City.

He adds that neither of the two entities are bothered by the message and are focusing solely on the match at hand.

Vinicius, in particular, cannot afford to lose focus given the magnitude of the game and what’s at stake for Real Madrid tonight.

Performing well in the first leg at Etihad could go a long way in helping Real Madrid take one step into the Round of 16, especially given the way Man City have played this season.

But one thing is for sure – there will be tension between the two teams as they take each other at the Etihad tonight.