Manchester Metropolis wrestle to forestall one of the best groups from scoring towards them and their central defenders may very well be focused in Friday’s Champions League conflict towards Spanish champions Actual Madrid, former England skipper Wayne Rooney mentioned. Pep Guardiola’s Metropolis lead Actual after they received the away leg of their last-16 tie 2-1 in March, earlier than Europe’s elite membership competitors was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rooney, who received the competitors with Manchester United in 2008, mentioned Metropolis have their finest alternative but to elevate the trophy for the primary time.
“Metropolis might by no means have a greater probability to win the Champions League,” Rooney wrote in his column for the Sunday Instances. “Sergio Ramos is suspended which is a large loss to the Actual defence and I feel Metropolis will rating. Whether or not they’re strong sufficient on the again themselves is my solely query.
“Actual will goal their centre halves and it’s a fear that this season each different (Premier League) ‘Massive Six’ membership beat Metropolis… This exhibits Guardiola’s workforce can wrestle to maintain one of the best sides out.”
Rooney mentioned he anticipated Actual to permit Metropolis to dominate possession after which purpose to hit them on the counter.
“I noticed Zinedine Zidane do it in his first spell as Actual coach when he performed towards Guardiola-style groups in massive video games, and it introduced him successes,” Rooney added.
“But my cash remains to be on Metropolis. They don’t need to chase the sport. They don’t have to attain. They’ll even afford to lose 1-Zero and undergo, and within the first leg they shocked Madrid by sitting in themselves.
“It was the primary time I’ve seen Guardiola play like that and I’ve a sense he’ll do the identical on the Etihad. It may very well be a recreation of cat-and-mouse.”