Steve Nicol has claimed that Manchester City have a player who could be a weak link for them against Real Madrid.
Los Blancos will be looking to exploit City’s weaknesses, unlike during their previous meeting at the Etihad Stadium where they lost 4-0.
However, looking at the players Pep Guardiola could start in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final, one questions if they even have major flaws in their game.
Rodri has not looked at his brilliant best in his last two outings, with Cesc Fabregas recently claiming how he must return to his usual levels for City to have a shot at winning the treble.
However, after the Spaniard was rested in Manchester City’s 5-1 walloping of Luton Town, he will be fresh to face the team from the Spanish capital.
A rested Rodri is likely to play at his usual standards and when he does, which is virtually every time he steps onto the pitch, it is tough to spot any flaws in his game.
Perhaps some may view Jack Grealish’s difficulties in beating his man and producing end product as a flawReal Madrid could exploit.
Steve Nicol says City star could be their weak link against Real Madrid
However, Grealish’s game is not focused on the aforementioned facets and as he played how he usually does against Los Merengues last Tuesday, he was arguably the best player on the pitch.
One could argue that while Jeremy Doku is more dangerous than the Englishman, they would still rather face the former.
Simply because the Belgian will try to take on his man on several instances and as he loses the ball, such an approach will play into the visitors’ hands at the Etihad Stadium as they can hit them on the break.
Grealish, however, rarely ever cedes possession, which will be key for a City side who would look to maximise their control on proceedings at home against the Spanish giants.
Dragging Dani Carvajal out of position while attracting his teammates towards him, which would create space for the City attackers as was the case at the Santiago Bernabeu, Jack Grealish finds a way to be extremely effective in such high-profile games.
However, after seeing how Ruben Dias was beaten by Ross Barkley in the build-up to his goal on Saturday, Steve Nicol has claimed that he could be a weak link for Manchester City against Real Madrid.
“He [Kyle Walker] can cover the pace of Rodrygo and Vini that the others can’t do. And I said in the highlight, the goal that [Ross] Barkley scored one on one with [Ruben] Dias, this is a guy who was Footballer of the Year not that long ago. Defensively now, one on one, he looks short. He never got close to Barkley.”
“Usually, when you don’t get close, you don’t have a first step. That’s going to be difficult. If Dias is playing against Real Madrid, that’s going to be tough for City”, he said about the £65 million man [via ESPN FC].
Even before discussing how Ruben Dias could be exploited by Real Madrid when they lock horns with Manchester City in the coming week, Steve Nicol had described his displays as “bang average” this season a week ago.
Could Manuel Akanji play instead of Ruben Dias on Wednesday?
In our view, while Ruben Dias has had a shaky season, where one has to disagree with Steve Nicol is how excellent he is in big games for Manchester City, like the upcoming clash against Real Madrid.
But considering Kyle Walker was on the bench against Luton, could he come into the side with the Portuguese centre-back being dropped for Wednesday’s encounter?
In City’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, Guardiola dropped Dias, playing Akanji instead of Dias alongside Stones as he was wary of the hosts’ pace up front.
Manuel Akanji is far quicker than Ruben Dias and is more well-placed to deal with speedsters like Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo in this respect than the latter.
Whether Pep Guardiola takes this decision once again will be interesting to see.