Manchester City bounced back from their setback against Real Madrid with a dominant 4-0 victory over Newcastle United in Matchday 25 of the Premier League. Among the standout performers, Pep Guardiola highly praised a 62 million signing, stating, “He’s like a mini Rodri.”
Rodri’s absence due to an ACL injury has created a significant void in City’s midfield, leaving Guardiola to find a solution. This, combined with inconsistent performances and a lack of squad depth, prompted City to move decisively in the winter transfer window, securing the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Porto.
In his post-match press conference, Guardiola praised Gonzalez’s impact on the field. “The presence of Nico helped us a lot in the 50-50 balls. I have the feeling that the club bought an incredible player for the future in terms of mentality. He was in Barcelona academy, the best in the world, where they teach you the concepts, the body shapes, the pass..,” the coach said in the post match press conference.
The City boss then made a direct comparison between Gonzalez and Rodri: “He’s so young, 23 years old. It’s like a mini Rodri. It’s a big compliment, but he has that feeling for the presence, how big he is, the duels… He’s miles away from Rodri since he’s the best, but everybody had the feeling that he’s going to help us.”
Gonzalez has been one of City’s key winter signings, having joined for his $62 million release clause from Porto. With Rodri sidelined and other key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan struggling for form, Gonzalez has brought much-needed stability to City’s midfield. Guardiola hopes he will continue to be an essential part of the team for years to come.
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When will Rodri return?
After suffering an ACL injury in September, Guardiola ruled Rodri out for the remainder of the season. However, the midfielder has shown encouraging signs of recovery, returning to training just four months later to work on specific exercises.
In an interview with Manu Carreño of El Larguero, Rodri provided an update on his progress and future plans. “There is the information the surgeon gives you, who wants everything to go well, and it extends up to 10 months or so. And then there’s the player’s information. I try to set a date, but for mental reasons, I don’t want to let this season end.”
Rodri also acknowledged that this season is unusually long: “I don’t know how much I’ll participate, but I think in the Nations League and the Club World Cup in June-July, I believe I will.” With Rodri still listed in City’s Champions League squad, there’s a chance we may see him back on the pitch before the season ends.
