Rodri claims Man City were ‘the only team’ on the pitch against Real Madrid in Champions League quarter-final heartbreak… and reveals Pep Guardiola’s men were shocked by the Spanish giants’ approach

A dejected Rodri insisted Manchester City were ‘the only team’ on the pitch against Real Madrid and was at a loss to explain their penalty shootout loss in the Champions League quarter-finals.

City’s quest for a Double Treble came to an abrupt end at the Etihad on Wednesday night as the Spanish giants progressed to the semi-final after winning 4-3 on penalties.

After last week’s thrilling 3-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu, the visitors took an early lead as Rodrygo tapped home 12 minutes in.

Real’s goal appeared to galvanise Pep Guardiola‘s men, who dominated proceedings and eventually levelled the score through Kevin De Bruyne‘s 76th minute goal. 

But despite their superiority, City could not find a way past Real and found themselves on the losing side after Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic missed from the spot.

City’s dreams of a second consecutive Trebles were dashed in heartbreaking fashion

Madrid rode their luck before prevailing 4-3 on penalties after the second leg ended 1-1

Speaking after the game, Rodri insisted the Premier League champions had been the better side. 

‘To be honest, I’ve only seen one team today,’ he told BBC.

‘We know how tough beating Madrid is, but in my opinion we should have gone through.’

City had 16 shots to Real’s seven when they dismantled Madrid 4-0 in the second leg of the semi-final last season. On Wednesday night, they registered 33 shots to Real’s eight as they lay siege to the visitors’ goal, but had ultimately nothing to show for it.

And Rodri conceded City will regret their lack of cutting edge. 

‘In the end this is football,’ he told Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus+.

‘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 have were trailing for most of the game. We have had chances and if we had been more clinical, we would have won the game. 

‘Real Madrid won the tie, but in my opinion we deserved to go through.’

After taking an early lead, Real handed the initiative to City and Rodri admitted being surprised by how deep Carlo Ancelotti’s team chose to defend.

City dominated proceedings but squandered chance after chance on Wednesday night 

Erling Haaland (left) and Kevin De Bruyne (right) both missed glorious chances for City

Pep Guardiola insisted City deserved to win and said he couldn’t fault his players 

‘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],’ he explained. 

‘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 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.’ 

Rodri’s thoughts were echoed by Guardiola, who couldn’t fault his players. 

‘I don’t have any regrets about what we have done,’ he said. 

‘Always we try to create more chances and concede less, because we believe that helps you to win and we did everything.’ 

Guardiola also had no complaints about Real’s defensive approach.

‘I don’t judge,’ he said. 

‘I’m not here to do this. It’s football. In this competition, that’s the way football happens.’