“He isn’t a UCL player no matter how much he statpads on Watford” – Manchester City fans ‘scared’ as Guardiola names 25-year-old in line-up against Real Madrid
Manchester City fans are worried over the selection of Oleksandr Zinchenko in Pep Guardiola's starting XI against Real Madrid.
The Premier League leaders host the La Liga leaders at the Eithad Stadium in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, April 26. They are looking to take the ascendancy in what promises to be a fascinating clash between the two sides.
Guardiola has gone with a 4-3-3 with Zinchenko and John Stones selected as full-backs to try and deal with Madrid's fearsome front three.
Los Blancos have gone with their formidable trio of Karim Benzema, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. in their attack. This is a trio that has caused teams problems all season round.
Manchester City fans have reservations not over Stones, who is by trade a centre-back, playing at right-back, but Zinchenko's selection.
First-choice left-back Joao Cancelo, who has been hugely impressive this season, will miss the game through suspension.
Here are some of the fans' reactions:
@ManCity Zinchenkass against Real Madrid in the UCL semi-final??😭😭
Dude lost us the final last season, he isn't a UCL player no matter how much he statpads on Watford
♂️@ManCity Im scared cause of our LB🙆♂️🙆♂️🙆♂️.. Zinchenko has a fine line between a Good game and a Nightmare
@ManCity I love you zinchenko...but I would have preferred Ake..😭
@ManCity Ake >> zinchenko
@ManCity Zinny worries me. Should have gone with Ake imo
@ManCity Zinchenko's either having a masterclass or having a disaster class...there's no middle ground
@ManCity But Zinchenko https://t.co/KylK9x7M6R
@ManCity Zinchenko? We lost
Manchester City's Zinchenko tasked with dealing with Real Madrid's Rodrygo
The Ukrainian left-back will need to try and nullify the pacy Rodrygo at the Etihad this evening.
Evidently, some Manchester City fans feel Nathan Ake would have been better suited to the task.
Nevertheless, it's Zinchenko who will need to be at his best to deal with one of Europe's best front three.
Rodrygo has three goals and two assists in eight UEFA Champions League appearances this season. He has forged a formidable partnership with centre-forward Karim Benzema, who has been Real Madrid's catalyst in the competition this campaign.
The Frenchman has twelve goals in the Champions League this season and sits just below Robert Lewandowski in the top scorer charts.
His last two outings for Real Madrid in the competition have seen him score two hat-tricks against Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
What Zinchenko does posses that perhaps Ake doesn't is the pace to compete against the speedy Rodrygo. City should have their fair share of possession during the game but Madrid are deadly on the counter. Therefore Zinchenko may be better suited in tracking the Brazilian winger.
Manchester City will want to head to the Santiago Bernabeu next Wednesday with a lead.
Guardiola will not want his side to replicate the performance of their Premier League rivals Chelsea when Los Blancos last had an outing away from home in Europe.
Los Blancos' threat on the counter paid dividends when Real Madrid took on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Benzema's hat-trick secured a 3-1 victory in the first leg of their quarter-finals clash.