Rodri assesses grave impact of his absence on Manchester City’s 2024/25 struggles | OneFootball

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has reflected on the impact of his unavailability on his side’s struggles over the recent campaign.

The Spaniard suffered an ACL injury against Arsenal in September 2024 that kept him on the treatment table for nearly the entirety of Pep Guardiola’s most difficult season in his managerial career.

City only managed a third-place Premier League finish last term with a meagre 71 points, crashing out of the UEFA Champions League at the Round of 16 stage and losing the FA Cup final to Crystal Palace to round off an uncharacteristically poor season for the Blues.

After scoring the only goal in the final to lead his side to their maiden Champions League title in 2023, Rodri played an instrumental role in Manchester City’s fourth consecutive Premier League winning campaign in the following season.

The 29-year-old also led Spain to European Championship glory last summer and in November 2024, he became the first player in Manchester City history to be awarded the Ballon d’Or, which he stood up on crutches to receive at the felicitation ceremony in Paris.

Much has been made of the negative impact of Rodri’s absence on Manchester City’s struggles last term and it came as no surprise to many that the Blues instantly fell off in the manner they did after their most crucial player was ruled out for almost the whole season.

“Well, it’s a very simplistic analysis,” Rodri said whilst speaking to reporters out in the United States as Manchester City compete in the FIFA Club World Cup, as quoted by ESPN’s Rob Dawson.

“It is clear, as I have always said, that in the past we have also had important losses and the team gets over it.

“Whenever there are players missing, the team can get over it. But in the end, it is a season in which there are many more conditions that gave that feeling, not so much the results, but the team’s feeling.”

After making his long-awaited return to the pitch against Bournemouth in May, Rodri has come off the bench in each of Manchester City’s opening Club World Cup group-stage wins against Wydad AC and Al Ain.

“My mission is to try to return to the individual level and that the group can take the best from me, especially the leadership and the captaincy that I can show now, now that I am one of the three captains,” the midfielder added.

“Above all, I want to raise the morale of my team, which has been a winner, and I am sure we will do it again.”