In the 14 months since Rodri sustained an anterior cruciate ligament damage in opposition to Arsenal on the Etihad Stadium, the midfielder has performed solely 588 minutes for Manchester Metropolis resulting from a collection of setbacks, the final of which excluded him from Wednesday's 4-1 win in opposition to Borussia Dortmund within the Champions League. Whereas Pep Guardiola says “he is not going to be out for some time”, the 29-year-old is prime to the supervisor's imaginative and prescient of the sport. His options are assessed …
Nico González
“The primary possibility when Rodri can not play is totally Nico. Nico is making steps ahead,” Guardiola stated earlier than Sunday's 3-1 win in opposition to Bournemouth. At 6ft 2in and 23 when signed for £49.8m from Porto earlier this 12 months, González is a close to carbon copy of Rodri. Certainly, Guardiola described the previous Barcelona participant as a “mini-Rodri” final season, but in opposition to Bournemouth there have been instances when he was caught and dispossessed in midfield in a means Rodri, at his perfect, wouldn't be. There may be scant disgrace, nonetheless, in not being in the identical class because the Ballon d'Or winner.
Mateo Kovacic
The long-term lack of Metropolis's sole different holding midfielder to an ankle drawback will likely be a check for Metropolis ought to González additionally gather an damage throughout Rodri's absence. Kovacic has impressed commonly for Metropolis since becoming a member of the membership from Chelsea for £25m in June 2023 and has a CV that makes clear he's a stellar expertise. The Croatian's former golf equipment embrace Dinamo Zagreb, Inter and Actual Madrid. He additionally has a glut of honours to his title, together with one La Liga title, one Premier League title and 4 Champions League winner's medals.
Rico Lewis
Lewis has made 103 appearances for Metropolis, almost 1 / 4 of which have been as a holding midfielder. The boy from Bury is versed within the 360-vision, contact, tackling and power the place calls for in a Guardiola-led facet, however the supervisor has cited Lewis's 5ft 7in top as an obstacle in that position. “It's essential to have physicality, for apparent causes,” he stated. “It was much less [needed] in Barcelona, Bayern Munich [Guardiola's previous clubs].” Turning 21 later this month, Lewis has time on his facet and will solely proceed to enhance.
John Stones
“What he brings to the pitch is excellent high quality as a central defender and probably as a pivotal No 6.” The view there of Thomas Tuchel and one which echoes Guardiola regarding the ‘Barnsley Beckenbauer'. Of Stones's 408 skilled membership appearances, 27 have come as a holding midfielder and he starred in that position when stepping up from central defence to play alongside Rodri in Metropolis's 2023 Champions League ultimate victory over Inter. “The 360 factor was probably the most tough for me,” Stones has stated about taking part in within the place. “I haven't acquired that [naturally] – I really feel I do extra now, however that's from studying the place to obtain the ball and methods to obtain it in sure conditions.”
Tijjani Reijnders
The Dutchman arrived at Metropolis from Milan in the summertime as a alternative for Kevin De Bruyne. As he put it himself on the summer time's Membership World Cup: “The No 8 place is why they [City] acquired me. Now I've to fill the No 8 and do my greatest to indicate that I ought to play.” With González nursing a knock, Reijnders began as a holding midfielder in final month's 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa and was shifted upfield when the Spaniard got here on shortly after the hour mark, the second offering a snapshot of the place he stands in Guardiola's pondering, specifically as a deputy.
Matheus Nunes
The Brazil-born Portugal worldwide has solely performed 9 instances as a defensive midfielder all through his profession together with his sole outing as a within the place for Metropolis coming in opposition to Nottingham Forest in September 2023. He lasted the total 90 and supplied an help in a 2-0 win.
Kalvin Phillips
Metropolis's forgotten man remains to be solely 29. He has additionally operated as a holding midfielder on 164 events throughout his profession and did nicely sufficient within the position to be capped by England. Nevertheless, it's clear he isn't trusted by Guardiola.
