CHRISTOPHER Routis is dreaming of rubbing shoulders with the likes of Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko – but City have to get past MK Dons first.

After making a winning league debut there last week, the French defender is relishing a quick return to familiar surroundings in the Capital One Cup.

And he is excited by the prospect of reaching the last 16 – and a potential date with one of the Premier League big boys.

Routis said: "I understand how important the cup is for the club and the players. I've seen the highlights from two years ago and it was an incredible thing to go through to the final.

"It's a very good opportunity for us to perhaps play against a Premier League team. For example, it would be a great experience for me if we played Manchester City and I was on the same pitch as Aguero and Dzeko – but also very difficult!"

Routis is well aware of the obstacle standing in City's way at stadium:mk, where the visitors will once again start as underdogs despite their recent 2-1 triumph.

The centre half was in fine form alongside Rory McArdle and followed that up with another solid outing to bag a clean sheet at Colchester.

"It was a hard game against MK Dons on a big pitch but very enjoyable because it was my first win," said Routis.

"They score lots of goals – three, four, five, six and four against Manchester United. I thought we did very well to keep them to one last week.

"They had lots of strikers. Just before the end I shouted at Fil Mourais to come and play as a defender because they had two out wide and three in the middle against just me and Rory!

"We played very well as a team. The MK Dons tried to attack, attack, attack and it was important that when we got the ball, we didn't lose it.

"It gives the defence a chance to relax, otherwise the ball keeps coming back at us. We will have to do that again because they will want revenge."

Routis has not ruled out the chance of launching another marauding run, like the one that saw him charge upfield early in the second half.

"I passed the first man and then I was alone, so I thought I would keep going," he laughed.

"But after I made the run all the way up the pitch, I couldn't do it again!

"I'm a player who likes to do that. When it's possible, I go – maybe next time it's Rory's turn."