Rodri: 'Manchester City will learn from Champions League experience'

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is confident that he and his teammates will benefit from last season's Champions League campaign.

The Citizens reached their first ever final in 2020-21, losing by a slender 1-0 scoreline to Premier League rivals Chelsea in May.

Pep Guardiola's men are now preparing for their opening Group A encounter in this year's competition against Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, and speaking to the press ahead of Wednesday's fixture, Rodri believes the squad have "more ambition and experience" to lift the trophy this campaign.

"We [had] a great season, we were proud of what we achieved with this feeling that we could achieve the big trophy. It was the first time in our history that we arrived into a final and all the players in the squad have a little more ambition and experience every year," Rodri said on Tuesday.

"[We have] No regrets about that. We have to be so proud and happy about what we did. We're going to learn from this experience. The Champions League is decided by little differences. We have to keep working and tomorrow we have the first step against Leipzig to achieve the Champions League.

"It's always a positive thing. I don't remember many players who in the first years do their best games and I think this club has been doing step by step every year. We have experience now and we have to keep going and keep working. I'm pretty sure we're going to [have] a great season again."

Rodri, who has started in three of City's four Premier League matches so far this season, is set to compete with 35-year-old Fernandinho for a place in Guardiola's starting lineup for Wednesday's match at the Etihad Stadium.