Real Madrid forward admits Manchester City “were better” in Champions League quarter-final clash | OneFootball

Manchester City “were better” than Real Madrid in this season’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie, Bernabeu forward Rodrygo has admitted.

Pep Guardiola’s City side went on search of a record-breaking second-successive Treble last season and came to within a repeat of their European heroics and an FA Cup final success from replicating the 2022/23 triumphs.

Having gone on to retain their Premier League crown for a third successive campaign with their fourth top-flight title in a row, City could have found themselves in a unique scenario where they would have had back-to-back Wembley finals in the space of a week.

However, their FA Cup final meeting with Manchester United was not to be followed up by a Champions League showdown the weekend after, having crashed out of the competition to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Many onlookers will know of Manchester City’s misfortune however, with a dramatic 3-3 draw in the Spanish capital putting the club in prime position to reach the last-four. Although, squandered opportunities in a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium would ultimately cost them.

Speaking during a new interview with GQ Spain, Brazilian Real Madrid winger Rodrygo has admitted that not only were Manchester City “better” than Real Madrid in their last-eight European tie this season, but that they are also the “best team in the world”.

“To be honest, we knew they were better,” Rodrygo admitted on the subject of the Champions League quarter-final that Real Madrid came out on top of through a penalty shoot-out victory over the eventual Premier League champions.

Continuing on the subject of Manchester City, Rodrygo said, “For me, it is the best team in the world, the one that plays the best football.”

The latest comments from the 23-year-old coincide with tenuous claims from Spanish media suggesting that Rodrygo would be open to a move to Manchester City, and is aware of admiration and interest from Pep Guardiola.

While City’s focus will likely be in the midfield ranks this summer, the Premier League champions would certainly not be opposed to such a market opportunity, and would explore a move if it made financial sense for Etihad Stadium bosses.