Manchester City have named their Champions League squad for the play-off against Real Madrid and any subsequent knockout rounds.
Manchester City have kept Rodri in their Champions League squad for the knockout stages, but there is no place for January signing Vitor Reis.
The Blues were allowed to include three new players for the next stage of the competition, who are eligible from next week for the first leg of the play-off against Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola’s side have added their other three new arrivals – Omar Marmoush, Adbukodir Khusanov and Nico Gonzalez.
Reis, who has been allocated the No.22 shirt by City, is seen as one for the future at the Etihad Stadium, with Guardiola and his coaches currently working on getting him up to speed.
Rodri remains in the squad in the hope that the Ballon d’Or winner will be fit to play a part in the latter stages of the competition should City get there.
The influential midfielder suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September, with initial fears that he would be ruled out for the rest of the season.
Rodri is back with the squad and has attended training in recent weeks, but last week Guardiola urged caution with his comeback. “He’s positive but I don’t know to be honest. An ACL is an ACL,” he said.
“Of course, he’d love to play tomorrow – I know that. But the body is the body, and recovery needs its own time. It’s going really well and he feels really good, but step by step we will see.”
MAN CITY SQUAD IN FULL: Ederson, Ortega, Carson, Lewis*, Alleyne*, Khusanov, Akanji, Dias, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kovacic, Gonzalez, Gundogan, Silva, Foden, De Bruyne, O’Reilly*, McAtee, Nunes, Grealish, Doku, Savinho, Marmoush, Bobb*, Haaland
*Oscar Bobb, Rico Lewis, Max Alleyne and Nico O’Reilly have all been registered on City’s B List this season as homegrown players under 21 who can contribute to the squad.
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