Rodri's Mystery Haunts Manchester City

MANCHESTER, FRIDAY - The return of midfielder and Ballon d'Or winner, Rodri, has not immediately had a positive impact on Manchester City's performance. The team, managed by Pep Guardiola, has actually lost the balance that they had found before the turn of the year.

The mystery of Rodri remains the biggest puzzle for City ahead of their match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester, on Saturday (24/1/2026) at 22:00 WIB. Since the player returned from injury in early January, City has only won twice in seven matches with Rodri.

Rodri was involved in a series of four winless matches for City in the English Premier League, including the 0-2 defeat against Manchester United last week. Most recently, on Wednesday, he was the main cause of City's loss to Bodo/Glimt 1-3 in the Champions League due to receiving a red card.

In fact, before Rodri's return, midfielder Nico Gonzalez seemed to be integrating well with the team. City had enjoyed a streak of eight consecutive victories across all competitions. "Bad things often happen in football, and it happened to Rodri, who experienced a decline in performance," wrote Tony Cascarino, a former English league player from the 90s, in The Times.

Before the knee injury that led to surgery in September 2024, Rodri was considered the best midfielder in the world. The Ballon d'Or trophy in 2024 validated this. Instead of returning to his best form, he has more frequently encountered ongoing injury issues in the last four months.

The 29-year-old player was actually able to play since August 2025. However, he suffered a series of knee and thigh injuries, which meant he could only return at the beginning of this year. The figure who returned is evidently different from the one who led City to triumph in three competitions simultaneously during the 2022-23 season.

Just look at the match against Bodo/Glimt. He was sent off for receiving two yellow cards within just 54 seconds. The punishment was handed down by the referee due to a nearly identical incident, where Rodri fouled an opposing player after being caught out of position. This did not resemble the player known for his quick reactions and anticipation in defense.

Rodri has only received two red cards throughout his career. Interestingly, he was sent off in yesterday's match due to an open play situation. The previous red card was received in September 2023, when Rodri was caught choking Nottingham Forest player Morgan Gibbs-White.

Even at the club level, the national team's star player from Spain has only received 73 yellow cards from 456 appearances. This means he averages just one yellow card in approximately six matches. All of this demonstrates his quality in controlling himself and the game.

Although it may seem mysterious, Rodri's decline in performance has actually been anticipated by Guardiola since October. The manager stated that Rodri needs time to return to his best form due to being absent for too long. Moreover, the series of injuries has caused significant setbacks in his condition.

"(He thinks) he'll be back to the Rodri of the past in just eight months. No. Rodri will play well for Spain at the World Cup. That will be his best version, and next season will be too. This season depends on how we handle it, step by step," Guardiola said, as quoted by The Athletic.

External factors have also hindered Rodri's adjustment. Gonzalez, who has replaced him so far, suffered an injury at the beginning of the year. The burden of being the main defensive midfielder has suddenly shifted to Rodri, who has been involved in seven matches within a span of just 20 days.

At the same time, Rodri still has to adapt to City's playing style this season. Guardiola more frequently instructs the players to execute quick counter-attack transitions. As a result, they are also more vulnerable to counter-attacks when losing the ball. Rodri is compelled to be more alert to anticipate this.

Guardiola still believes that Rodri will soon return to his best form. "Rodri will play better, all players will also improve, and that will impact the team. Certainly, when you are sidelined for 18 months, it is normal to need time for adjustment. There is a positive aspect because he has already played a full 90 minutes," he stated.

The manager can take a slight breath this weekend. City can rotate their squad when facing Wolves, who are at the bottom of the table. Guardiola can rest Rodri and play Gonzalez, who is likely to have recovered from injury. (AP/REUTERS)