"Stop crying your heart out" - Manchester City fans to unveil banner with Rodri and his Ballon d'Or award ahead of Real Madrid UCL clash

Manchester City fans are set to unveil a banner of the injured reigning Ballon d'Or winner Rodri ahead of their UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off first leg at home with holders Real Madrid on Tuesday (February 11).

The marquee clash marks the fourth straight season the two sides lock horns in the knockout stage of the competition. Their last meeting in the previous campaign saw Carlo Ancelotti's side knock out then holders City on penalties in the quarter-final before winning the competition for a record-extending 15th straight time.

A year later, the two sides have had contrasting campaigns, especially in Europe, with both missing out on automatic places in the Round of 16. While Los Blancos won three games on the trot to finish 11th, City finished a lowly 22nd, winning only once in their last five games, losing thrice.

Things have hardly gone better for Pep Guardiola's reigning English champions, who are fifth in the Premier League after 24 games, trailing runaway leaders Liverpool by 15 points, having played a game more. City have especially struggled in the absence of Rodri, with the reigning Ballon d'Or winner potentially out for the season with an ACL injury.

As per City Xtra, City fans are set to unveil a banner of Rodri and his Ballon d'Or award that says "Stop crying your heart out" before kick-off of their Champions League clash with Los Blancos.

City are coming off a hard-fought 2-1 win at Lleyton Orient in the FA Cup fourth round at the weekend, having lost 5-1 at Arsenal in the league a week earlier.

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How Rodri's Manchester City fared against Real Madrid last season?

Manchester City midfielder Rodri

Manchester City - as mentioned above - fell in the quarter-final of the Champions League to eventual champions Real Madrid last season, ending their title defence and hopes of back-to-back continental trebles.

In a riveting first-leg clash at the Santiago Bernabeu, City drew first blood through Bernardo Silva in the second minute. But Madrid turned the game on its head in the next 12 minutes, thanks to Ruben Dias' own goal and a Rodrygo strike.

City, though, fought back, with Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol strikes putting them back in front 19 minutes from time. However, Federico Valverde's 79th-minute equaliser left it all to play for at the Etihad.

Rodrygo put Real Madrid ahead inside 12 minutes before Kevin De Bruyne's 76th-minute strike eventually forced penalties, where Pep Guardiola's side ended second-best.