Pep Guardiola is a master of changing Manchester City. Great coaches are able to adapt to almost any situation without successfully exchanging. For Guardiola, changing tactics is almost a game and he almost always wins.
The process of civilization over the years has witnessed countless revolutionary improvements in Guardiola. From using a full-back, goalkeeper participating in developing the ball, a virtual midfielder, to the midfielder moving into the penalty area. This list is still long and constantly expanding.
Each stage has great heroes. Some are admired more than others, but all are honored for their role in shaping Guardiola's winning machine. Among them, Fernandinho and Kevin De Bruyne stand out as central figures.
Meanwhile, Rodri is a special case. He has affirmed his worth with the Ballon d'Or, demonstrating his irreplaceable importance in the Man City squad.
Rarely has any player shown an irreplaceable role like Rodri. He is so special that there is no direct replacement, and City often have trouble when he is absent. This situation has occurred more frequently since September 2024.
The numbers and form prove Rodri's importance in Guardiola's playing style. His stability, ball distribution and timing ability help him become an indispensable pillar, contributing to maintaining high efficiency and balance in the Man City squad.
However, the midfielder has only played four times in the 2025-2026 season, with a total of 293 minutes of play - less than half of the maximum possible time. This is a reasonable approach, as he had just suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture 13 months ago, and this type of injury usually takes more than a year to fully recover.
Before that, Man City's success was always associated with Rodri's performance. The clear collapse of the team at the end of last year almost coincided with his final appearance against Arsenal.
Since the start of the 2021-22 season, City have lost 14 of their 48 Premier League games without Rodri, compared to just eight of their 111 games with him. For Rodri, the Etihad team has an average of 2.4 points per match, without him, this number has dropped to 1.8. Simple calculations but enough to prove the midfielder's importance to Guardiola's team.
What happened last year clearly shows the problems that can arise when an outstanding player like Rodri is absent. Guardiola has been forced to break the usual rules to deal with the situation.
It can be said that this cycle, with the core being Rodri's ability to pass the ball skillfully, has finally come to an end, in line with the general tactical development of modern football. However, the absence of the Spanish midfielder certainly accelerated that transition. The departure of Kevin De Bruyne further highlights the change in the Man City squad.
City now average 57.6% possession and make 541 passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League - the lowest tally for a Guardiola side since he took over as head coach, including spells at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. These figures show a change in the Citizens' philosophy and playing style, while emphasizing Rodri's importance in keeping the rhythm and controlling the game.
Now, Man City deploys the ball with quick counter-attacks, taking advantage of the dynamism of the wingers to switch from defense to attack without having to rely too much on the central defender.
Perhaps, accepting the truth is City's biggest change at the moment.
