It will take time for Manchester City’s midfield general to return to his best as we saw against Wydad AC | OneFootball

In what was another positive step in Rodri’s return from the ACL injury that crippled his 24/25 season, Manchester City’s midfield general got through 30 minutes of action during his team’s 2-nil win over Wydad AC to open their FIFA Club World Cup campaign. What was obvious to see during Rodri’s time on the pitch was that he was rusty and lacking sharpness. But come the final whistle the signs were there that Rodri will return to his best, although that will be a gradual process for the Spanish international.

Rodri looked rusty but improved as the second half of Manchester City’s win over Wydad AC wore on.

After replacing Phil Foden at the hour mark of Manchester City’s win over Wydad, Rodri quickly got to work. He did get involved in the game and his teammates ensured he got into the game quickly. Receiving the ball in his usual positions wasn’t a problem for Rodri. His lack of sharpness and touch was clear to see. He misplaced several passes but that was to be expected. Since rupturing his ACL against Arsenal last September, Rodri had only played 10 minutes of competitive football against Bournemouth in May. He has trained, but training doesn’t replicate a match. So it was understandable that Rodri’s first few passes and general match conditioning and sharpness were lacking.

But as the second half wore on, Rodri began to look like himself again. He got around the pitch well and in statistics sourced from SofaScore, he completed 38/45 passes. He also won 1/2 of his duels and he did read the play better as the game wore on. In the end, it was a promising cameo from Manchester City’s midfield general.

Pep Guardiola was pleased to see his midfield general get through 30 minutes against Wydad.

Speaking after his team’s win over Wydad, Pep Guardiola was pleased to see Rodri get through 30 minutes on the pitch. He told the media that Rodri wants to play more, but the process that Rodri must follow during his return from a serious injury is important. In quotes relayed by Manchester Evening News, Pep Guardiola said: “Thirty minutes, step-by-step. He wants more, but it’s the first step. What your head wants, your mind, that is top. But at the same time, often you need the process, and that is very, very important.”

Rodri got through 30 minutes on the pitch in Philadelphia unscathed. That is an important step in his bid to rediscover his form and sharpness at the Club World Cup. Rodri’s performance against Wydad AC was rusty initially, but he did improve as he spent more time on the pitch. It will now be interesting to see how many minutes Rodri plays in Manchester City’s second Group G fixture against Al Ain. If he can get through 30 minutes or more on the pitch than that will be another positive step in his bid to return to his best form.