Rodri wasn’t in the best of moods after Real Madrid beat Man City (Photo: Sky Sports)
Rodri admits he was ‘not expecting’ Real Madrid to play so defensively as he aimed a bitter dig at the team that knocked Manchester City out of the Champions League.
Holders and favorites City saw their dreams of an unprecedented ‘double treble’ come to an end on Wednesday after losing their quarter-final tie against Real on penalties.
After a 3-3 draw in Spain last week, it finished 1-1 at the Etihad after an early Rodrygo strike was cancelled out by Kevin De Bruyne late on.
But it was not to be for the Premier League leaders after Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic missed their spot-kicks to allow Lo Blancos to win the shootout 4-3.
The Citizens dominated the second-leg of the tie with 68% possession and 33 shots (nine on target), compared to Real who only managed eight (three on target).
‘To be honest, I’ve only seen one team today,’ City defensive midfielder Rodri – in a somewhat bitter mood – told reporters post-match.
‘We know how tough beating Madrid is, but in my opinion we should have gone through. In the end this is football.
Antonio Rudiger scored the winning penalty in the shootout (Photo: Getty)
‘We knew the game was going to be long for them, but we didn’t expect that they were going to be so, so far deep [in their half].
‘It is difficult to analyse. We had the feeling that penalties were more convenient for them. It was their turn [to progress] again.
‘In the penalties, luck was on Madrid’s side, as usual. Real Madrid have these things, they can win a game in which they barely left their own box.
Rodri helped Man City dominate the ball but they didn’t take their chances to score (Photo: Getty)
‘We know what we do and we know that this competition does not understand merits, it understands who puts the ball in the back of the net.
‘Their only shot on target they had went in, and we were trailing for most of the game. We have had chances and if we had been more clinical, we would have won the game.
‘In the end this is football. When you have given everything you have no regrets. Now it’s time to lift the boys up and congratulate Real Madrid.’
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Rodri and City cannot look back in anger for too long however, with the Premier League title and the FA Cup sill up for grabs.
On Saturday, they’ll take on Chelsea at Wembley in the Cup semi-finals before travelling to Brighton next Thursday where they’ll aim to extend their two-point advantage in the title race.
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