Manchester City ready to make major defensive midfield change to UEFA Champions League knockout stage squad list | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola is prepared to make a shock change to his Manchester City squad list for the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, it has been reported.

Manchester City progressed into a last-16 play-off match on Wednesday night as they recorded a 3-1 comeback win over Club Brugge to sneak into the competition’s top-24 places and set-up a mouthwatering two-legged affair in February.

Following the new format being finalised, City now know that Friday’s draw this week will present them with a last-16 play-off tie against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, with the first-leg to be played at the Etihad Stadium.

Despite making three new signings during the January transfer window so far, Manchester City were unable to showcase their arrivals in their final two league phase matches with the squad list for the first stage of the competition finalised last summer.

However, as a new submission to UEFA looms ahead of the knock-out stages, it is now emerging that Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are prepared to make a number of changes, including the addition of a very welcome face in the centre of the park.

According to the information of The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Guardiola is ready to register Rodri for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages in hope that the midfielder can return this season to play for Manchester City in the latter stages of the competition.

It is explained that clubs are allowed to make three changes to their squads from the league phase, with City having lost Kyle Walker to AC Milan on loan while also adding Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis in the transfer market.

Manchester City have room in their squad to register all of their new signings and keep Rodri available for action, reports McGrath, with both Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis still eligible to be named on a B List due to their youth.

Rodri has started to reintegrate himself into Manchester City’s matchday routines in recent weeks, in a clear sign of optimism from the player’s side that a return this campaign is possible despite a belief that his season was over following an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The Ballon d’Or winner travelled with the squad to Paris last week despite not featuring among the matchday squad list, and has been present in training sessions watching from the sidelines, whilst arriving with the rest of the team on matchdays at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking during a recent interview, Rodri was quizzed on whether he believes he will play for Spain or Manchester City this season, to which he responded, “Yes, I think so. I don’t want to confirm anything, but my idea is to try to come back a little earlier than that. It’s in my head.”