'Stop crying your heart out!' - Man City fans' savage dig at Vinicius Jr over losing Ballon d'Or to Rodri as Brazilian is mocked for ceremony no show

City fans unfurled a huge banner before kick off in the first leg of the play-off tie at the Etihad Stadium saying 'Stop crying your heart out', a play on an Oasis song by the same name. Rodri pipped Vinicius Jr to win the most prestigious individual prize in football back in October, causing a huge upset.

Vinicius was widely expected to win the award after helping fire Real Madrid to a La Liga and Champions League double. But he was beaten in the end by Rodri, who didn't lose a game as he helped City win a fourth consecutive Premier League title and then anchored Spain's European Championship triumph in the summer. Madrid and Vinicius did not take the defeat well. As soon as they learned Rodri was going to win, the Spanish giants boycotted the ceremony.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti weighed in on the debate over the Ballon d'Or before the game by saying Rodri should have won the award in 2023 after completing the treble with City and scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final.

Rodri is still recovering from tearing his cruciate knee ligament in September against Arsenal. He attended last Sunday's Super Bowl in New Orleans and vowed to "come back stronger" from the injury. The Spaniard has targeted a return in time for the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA in the summer although Pep Guardiola has warned him against trying to return to early. The coach said: "I'd love to arrive in the last stages of the Champions League and he could help, but I will not put one second of pressure on him. In my mind, next season is when Rodri will return. In my mind he’s not here. But maybe he comes back earlier and that would be good."