Rio Ferdinand on why Man City would have made a better opponent for Liverpool in Champions League final

Rio Ferdinand has admitted he is disappointed Manchester City failed to reach the final of the Champions League for a second consecutive season.

The Sky Blues were eliminated by Real Madrid in the second-leg of their semi-final clash at the Bernabeu, with the latter turning around a 4-3 deficit in the first-leg.

Pep Guardiola’s side looked all but set for a second final in as many campaigns after Riyad Mahrez gave them a 1-0 lead in the 73rd minute (5-3 on aggregate).

However, in true Real style, the 13-time Champions League winners produced one of the greatest European comebacks in history thanks to Rodrygo netting twice in two minutes to send the game to extra-time.

Things went from bad to worse for City when Karim Benzema put the nail in the coffin from the penalty spot, giving Los Blancos the advantage in the first-half of extra-time.

Carlo Ancelotti’s team will face Liverpool in the final of the competition on 28 May in Paris, but Ferdinand would’ve preferred the Sky Blues to advance to the last-two.

"I think after the game we saw a couple of weeks ago [Man City 2-2 Liverpool], that made your mouth water and you thought, I would love to see that as a season finale,” the former Manchester United defender told BT Sport.

"I was on that side of things, I would have loved to have seen that game again. The standard of that game, but the character and the quality of this Real Madrid team will add to that and it will make for a great final."

The Champions League is the only trophy that eludes Guardiola while he has been in charge of City.

However, the Premier League is still on the cards for the reigning champions, but the Sky Blues will be hoping, due to Liverpool’s commitments in the Champions League and FA Cup finals, they will beat the Reds to the title come 22 May.

Guardiola’s side sit one point ahead of the Reds in the league, with both clubs having four games remaining.

City will be looking to bounce back from their Champions League elimination on Sunday when they welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad Stadium - kick-off is 4.30pm.