Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Wed 18 March 2026 10:48, UK

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Phil Foden was an unused substitute as Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Citizens were beaten 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium by Real Madrid, with Vinicius Junior grabbing the goals for the visitors.

Pep Guardiola’s side had already been facing an improbable task after losing 3-0 in the first leg last week, and Bernardo Silva’s first-half red card made matters a lot worse.

The midfielder appeared to block Vinicius’s strike with his arm on the line, and was sent off on review.

Man City scored an equaliser through Erling Haaland, but the Norwegian’s finish would ultimately prove irrelevant.

Pep Guardiola ignores Phil Foden completely

Just four months ago, Foden looked to be back to his very, very best, scoring six goals in four Premier League games as Man City started to charge.

Last season, the midfielder did not reach the same levels that saw him score 27 goals across all competitions in the 2023-24 season, scoring just 13 as his team suffered an off-year.

With Man City back in the title race, however, the 25-year-old looked to be back in form and ready to fire Guardiola’s side to success.

But Foden’s goal against Crystal Palace in December would be his last since, with the midfielder now struggling for minutes.

Football Insider exclusively revealed on Sunday that Foden could leave Man City this summer, with his contract set to expire in 2027.

Tuesday’s game would have done little to change his mind, either, with Guardiola electing to keep him sat on the bench for both legs against Real Madrid despite Man City needing a goal.

Foden to struggle for World Cup place

It is a damning indictment of Foden that Guardiola has chosen not to trust him in Man City’s biggest moments in recent months.

It remains unclear whether Guardiola will leave in the summer, potentially providing the midfielder with a fresh start at the Etihad Stadium.

However, Foden’s immediate concern will be that his spot in England’s World Cup squad is under serious threat.

The likes of Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze are all competition for the 25-year-old, and all of them are staking good claims for a seat on Thomas Tuchel’s plane.

The German would have been paying attention as Foden was dropped from the Man City team for a crunch Champions League tie, and it may be a decision that proves impactful.