Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney believes Manchester City will destroy Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League because Manchester City are on another level.

“Manchester City will not only beat Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League, but they are going to destroy them,” Rooney wrote in his column in The Times.

“Of course, I could be wrong, but I think City are on another level,” he continued.

“You can never rule out a team with Real Madrid’s experience and history, but I wouldn’t bet on them. I think this is City’s year.

“From the start of the season I felt this would be the campaign where Pep Guardiola would finally conquer Europe with City and the football his team are playing in recent months and the way they are peaking at the right time has only reaffirmed that thought.”

“A year ago, Real Madrid knocked City out, but now the dynamic is different. City are better defensively and are a more patient team, but the biggest change is Erling Haaland,” Rooney added.

“Last season at the Bernabeu the team had five crazy minutes that lost them the tie. With Haaland it wouldn’t have happened.

“Real Madrid could not have played the same way. In both games they had periods where they took the ball away from City and they were able to do that because City had no real counter-attacking threat.”