The 1-1 draw with Newcastle in round 6 of the Premier League showed how much Rodri's absence has affected Manchester City. Coach Pep Guardiola's post-match reaction when asked about the 28-year-old midfielder said it all.
" guys, I know you'll ask me all the time. But Rodri is not here. Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and Rico Lewis did well, but I have to find a solution. I really want Rodri here," said Guardiola.
This was the first match for The Citizens since confirming Rodri will be absent for the rest of the season. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal.
Before Rodri left the field in the 20th minute due to injury, Man City was leading 1-0 and had a comfortable game. In the 51 Premier League games that Rodri has played in since February 2023, Man City have not lost a single game.
But when Rodri left the pitch, Arsenal quickly reversed the game to take a 2-1 lead. They only let the victory slip away with Man City's equalizer in the 8th minute of extra time.
Against Newcastle, The Citizens took the lead again when defender Josko Gvardiol scored in the 35th minute. However, Guardiola's side could not hold on to the advantage and Anthony Gordon's successful penalty in the 58th minute finally gave Newcastle a point. Perhaps, Man City should ask themselves, when will they win without Rodri?
Of course, Man City will try to win without the former Atletico Madrid player. Don't forget that Guardiola's side have won their first three Premier League games of the season without Rodri. The Spaniard has enjoyed a long-term break after winning EURO 2024.
But the fact that Rodri's absence for the rest of the season will bring both personnel and psychological problems to the Premier League champions. Even Guardiola, a coaching genius, admitted that he was still looking for a solution.
Rodri is perhaps more important to Man City than Erling Haaland. The Etihad outfit have a lot of attacking options so they can often find a way to score in Haaland's absence. However, Arsenal were able to get past Man City's midfield after Rodri left the pitch. And Newcastle have also dominated the midfield at St James' Park for a long time.
Guardiola deployed a 4-1-2-3 formation with Kovacic playing in Rodri's position, while Lewis and Ilkay Gundogan played higher to create a defensive layer. Kovacic is a classy player, a Champions League champion with Real Madrid and Chelsea. But the Croatian midfielder is not Rodri. Kovacic did not give Man City the confidence to hold the ball or Rodri's vision.
For Lewis, the 19-year-old is still inexperienced and unprepared to be one of Guardiola's main solutions. Gundogan may be the best fit, but the former Germany international turns 34 next month.
Man City have a comfortable October schedule with Fulham, Wolves, Southampton and Bournemouth. They are likely to win all four of those games, but the real test is ahead.
