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 could not explain the 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 evening as the Spanish giants progressed to the semi-finals after a 4-3 win on penalties.

After last week’s exciting 3-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu, the visitors took an early lead when Rodrygo tapped home after twelve minutes.

Real’s goal seemed to galvanize Pep Guardiola’s men, who dominated the game and eventually leveled the score through Kevin De Bruyne’s goal in the 76th minute.

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.

Madrid had their luck before winning 4-3 on penalties after the second leg ended 1-1

City wasted chance after chance at the Etihad on Wednesday evening

After the match, Rodri insisted that the Premier League champions had been the better team.

“To be honest, I only saw one team today,” he said BBC.

“We know how difficult it is to beat Madrid, but in my opinion we should have gone through.”

City had 16 shots to Real’s seven when they beat 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 laid siege to the visitors’ goal, but ultimately had none to show for it.

And Rodri admitted City will regret their lack of astuteness.

“At the end of the day, this is football,” he told the Spanish broadcaster Movistar Plus+.

“We know what we’re doing and we know this league doesn’t understand the merits, but who puts the ball in the back of the net.

“Their only shot on goal went in, and we were behind for most of the game. We had chances and if we had been more clinical we would have won the game.

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

After taking an early lead, Real handed the initiative to City and Rodri admitted he was surprised by the level of Carlo Ancelotti’s team defending.

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

Pep Guardiola insisted that City deserved to win and said he could not blame his players

“We knew the game would be long for them, but we didn’t expect them to last that long. [in their half],” he explained.

‘It’s difficult to analyze. […] We felt that punishment was more convenient for them. It was their turn [to progress] again.

‘At the end of the day, this is football. If you have given it your all, you will have no regrets. Now it’s time to cheer up the boys and congratulate Real Madrid.”

Rodri’s thoughts were echoed by Guardiola, who could not blame his players.

“I don’t regret what we did,” he said.

“We always try to create more chances and concede fewer because we believe that’s how you win and we’ve done everything we can.”

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 league, that’s the way football happens.”