Manchester City: How important is Rodri to Pep Guardiola’s team?

Very successful in Rodri’s course Manchester City Career, one thing is simple; Pep Guardiola’s team is better than without him.

This is a view backed up by data. Since his debut in August 2019, City have had a higher winning percentage, scored more goals, conceded fewer goals and had more possession in Premier League games when the Spaniard played compared to when he was absent.

The bulk of those absences have come in the past two seasons. As City won an unprecedented four league titles in a row, Rodri missed just seven matchday squads – and three of those through suspension.

At the start of the 2024–25 season, an ACL tear sustained five weeks before winning the Ballon d’Or meant he missed more than seven months of action; Liverpool won the league.

His current campaign has been marred by hamstring problems, but reassuringly for City supporters, the numbers suggest Guardiola’s squad are learning to cope without the 29-year-old.

City won nine of 11 games between the end of September and New Year’s Day.