Manchester City Confirms Champions League Knockout Squad: Rodri Included, Vitor Reis Omitted

Manchester City has announced their updated squad for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. Notably, midfielder Rodri, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September and is sidelined for the remainder of the season, remains included in the squad. 

The club has also registered recent signings Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Nico González for the knockout phase. Marmoush, an Egyptian forward, was acquired from Eintracht Frankfurt, while Uzbek defender Khusanov joined from Lens. Spanish midfielder González was signed from FC Porto for €60 million. 

However, Brazilian defender Vitor Reis, who transferred from Palmeiras, has been omitted from the Champions League squad. UEFA regulations permit clubs to register up to three new players for the knockout stages, but constraints related to homegrown player quotas and squad size have influenced this decision. 

Manager Pep Guardiola expressed confidence in the new additions, highlighting González's potential to fill the midfield void left by Rodri's absence. He also emphasized the importance of integrating the new signings to strengthen the team's prospects in the upcoming Champions League fixtures.