Manchester City can still salvage ‘difficult’ season

Manchester City defender Ruben Dias remains optimistic about his team’s chances to win silverware despite facing what he describes as their “most difficult” season.

Pep Guardiola’s squad will take on reigning champions Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League play-off on Tuesday.

This comes after City finished 22nd in the group stage, a setback they now hope to overcome against the current holders.

A win over the two legs would secure a spot in the last 16, where they would face either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen.

However, City have also encountered difficulties in their domestic campaign, currently sitting fifth in the Premier League and trailing leaders Liverpool by 15 points.

“This has been the most difficult season since I have been here but I am a firm believer that even in the most difficult moments, you can still achieve something beautiful,” said Dias.

“I didn’t spend one second thinking about if it was disrespectful” 🤷‍♂️

Ruben Dias was only focussed on Rodri when he won the Ballon d’Or 💪#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/OUYvTmGc5t

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 10, 2025

“We know how difficult it will be to get through but we have loads of guns in the dressing room. We just have to use them in the right way.”

This marks the fourth consecutive season – and the fifth in six years – that City and Madrid have clashed in the Champions League knockout rounds.

The Spanish giants secured victory via penalties in last season’s quarter-finals before going on to claim their 15th European title under Carlo Ancelotti.

With both teams having won two encounters each in previous meetings, Guardiola has described their rivalry as one of the most significant in the modern Champions League era.

This upcoming match also comes in the aftermath of controversy, as Madrid’s players boycotted the Ballon d’Or ceremony in protest after Rodri was awarded the title of the world’s best player over Vinicius Jr.

City reportedly viewed Madrid’s absence as a sign of disrespect, but Dias, who was present in Paris alongside Rodri, downplayed any impact from the incident.

“Being honest with you, I didn’t spend one second thinking about it,” added the Portuguese defender.

“I was happy for Rodri. Vinicius had an extraordinary year and also deserved it. It’s like in the past when [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano [Ronaldo] were fighting for it.”