All eyes will be on Raheem Sterling when Manchester City face Real Madrid this week.
The England international has ensured that after his remarkable interview with AS ahead of the Champions League round of 16 tie.
While Pep Guardiola and City insist they have no issue with the article, which also included a picture of Sterling with a Real shirt draped over his shoulder – the timing was particularly curious after the Premier League champions were handed a two-year European ban for “serious breaches” of Financial Fair Play.
With Real long-term admirers of the forward, he is sure to be the target of local media after Wednesday’s clash – and it will be fascinating to see if he stops to talk in the post-match mixed zone.
They certainly won’t be able to speak to him beforehand, with David Silva set to do pre-match media duties alongside Guardiola.
Given that he is Spanish, it makes sense that the playmaker field questions from media in his homeland.
But it’s also safe to assume City would rather not see Sterling face another grilling about his future.
