Rodri pinpoints exact moment Manchester City threw away Round of 16 tie against Real Madrid | OneFootball

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has cited when his side’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Real Madrid was over during 180 minutes of football.

The Blues went out of Europe at the hands of Los Blancos for the third season running courtesy of a 5-1 aggregate defeat over two legs, with Federico Valverde scoring an opening leg hat-trick and Vinicius Jr. enjoying a brace at the Etihad Stadium.

City were lacklustre and toothless in attack and defence once again against the most successful side in UEFA Champions League history, bowing out of the competition to leave themselves vying for a domestic treble in their first full season under director of football Hugo Viana.

Pep Guardiola‘s men won their first piece of silverware in two seasons last week as a brace of headers from Nico O’Reilly over four minutes in the second-half at Wembley sealed a monumental 2-0 Carabao Cup final victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Rodri: Real Madrid tie was over after Bernardo red card

In conversation with Onda Cero this week, Rodri has admitted that Bernardo Silva‘s 20th minute red card in Manchester City’s 2-1 second leg loss to Real Madrid was the moment the Round of 16 tie was done and dusted.

“I think we could have turned it around (against Real Madrid) if it weren’t for the red card,” the Ballon d’Or winner said in an honest admission on the subsequent trajectory of the tie.

Manchester City enjoyed a stunning start to the Round of 16 return leg and after nearly going 4-0 down on aggregate in the first minute at the Etihad Stadium, they enjoyed a series of presentable goalscoring opportunities before the tie took a major twist.

Silva was shown a straight red card following a VAR check for handling the ball off the goal line to prevent Vinicius Jr.’s effort from going in – with City playing the best part of 70 minutes with 10 men.

What is the wider context of Rodri’s quotes?

Rodri has enjoyed an interesting week after winning the Carabao Cup final, opening the door to joining Real Madrid amid uncertainty over his future at the Etihad Stadium, where he is under contract till 2027.

The 29-year-old is into the final 15 months of his current deal but talks over a new deal were delayed by Manchester City officials as Rodri endured an injury-marred 18 months since tearing his ACL against Arsenal in September 2024.

City remain at a nascent stage of their transition under Viana, who has made sweeping changes to Guardiola’s squad since replacing long-serving executive Txiki Begiristain last summer and is set for another busy summer of incomings and outgoings.

There will be great disappointment in the Manchester City dressing room after yet another European exit to Real Madrid, who could be on the verge of adding Rodri to their star-studded ranks this summer – or when the midfielder runs out of contract at the end of the 2026-27 season.