A key player for Manchester City is getting back to his best | OneFootball

Rodri has had to battle through the first half of this season to return to his best for Manchester City. You could see and sense Rodri’s frustration as niggling injuries and rust prevented him from having a bigger impact during the early stages of the 2025/26 season. Pep Guardiola told the media ahead of Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Newcastle that City had rushed their midfield general back too early and they’d expected too much from a player who was coming from a long way back in terms of his fitness. Watching Rodri recently, it is clear that he is getting back to his best, which could be crucial to Manchester City’s Premier League title bid.

Pep Guardiola has shared that Manchester City brought Rodri back too soon but he is now getting back to his best.

Speaking ahead of Manchester City’s win over Newcastle, in quotes relayed by ESPN, Pep Guardiola explained that Rodri was thrust into action too soon earlier this season. The Manchester City manager revealed: “He came back too early. Our desire to get him back, him especially, he came back early, that’s why it was longer. It’s a good lesson.”

“Human beings have a time for recovery. There are players who can recover earlier, like Bernardo [Silva] for example or Phil [Foden], and other ones need more time. Still it’s not his best but every time his mood and his training and his playing [is improving]. He’s a special player.”

Pep Guardiola’s assessment illustrates just how much time Rodri needed to get back to his best. The Spanish midfielder needed time to get his body right. He was provided that opportunity earlier this season, and you can now see the benefits of Rodri’s period of rest.

Rodri was superb for Manchester City against Newcastle. He played a key role in Manchester City’s attacking play, and his ability to spread the play with his cross-field passing was a key element in City’s performance. Manchester City picked up a vital win at the Etihad, and Rodri’s influence in City’s win could not be overlooked. Rodri has battled his way back to his best, and as this season enters a critical phase, Manchester City’s midfield general looks poised to play a key role for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Rodri’s influence will be massive for City across the back end of this season.

Playing in midfield alongside Bernardo Silva and Nico O’Reilly has allowed Rodri to get back to his best, as has a significant period out of the team to rest his body. Now, with Pep Guardiola’s side in four competitions up to their necks, Rodri’s influence will be massive for Manchester City.

Rodri remains one of, if not the best, holding midfielders in European football. That fact has remained while Rodri battled his way back to full fitness. In terms of players who can dictate a match for Manchester City, there almost isn’t another City player who can consistently dominate and influence a match like Rodri can. Manchester City needs Rodri to provide leadership and control the midfield in their upcoming matches. Now that the Ballon d’Or winner looks back to his best, he looks set to do exactly that over the back end of this season.

Rodri has worked his way back from a long way back to resemble the Ballon d’Or winner that he is. That could be crucial to Manchester City’s bid to win multiple competitions this season and with Rodri at his best anything is possible for Pep Guardiola’s side.