Pep Guardiola had made it clear before the match: “Rodri is good for, at most, 30 minutes.” And he followed through. Rodri Hernández was subbed on in the 61st minute against Al-Ain and contributed to Manchester City’s 6–0 thrashing of the Emirati side by providing the assist for the team’s fifth goal, scored by Norwegian winger Oscar Bobb.
Guardiola was measured in his post-match press conference after the team’s second Club World Cup match, with a ticket to the Round of 16 already secured. The English side now sits second in Group G with six points, tied with Juventus, who lead the group. The final group-stage match will be a clash for first place between two continental powerhouses.
The Catalan coach is in no rush to push Rodri too hard. The Ballon d’Or winner is a vital cog in City’s system. Without him, City struggles to play Guardiola’s style. This has been evident all season—Manchester City has only lifted the Community Shield back in August. They’ve been knocked out early from the Champions League, trail Liverpool in the Premier League, and lost the FA Cup Final at Wembley to Crystal Palace.
“He’s still struggling a bit”
After the Al-Ain game, Guardiola gave a firm message when asked about Rodri: “He played 30 minutes and did very well. But he can’t play more than that yet. He still struggles a bit in physical duels and contact situations. That’s normal. He’s coming off an 11-to-12-month injury. It’s important for him to gradually improve.”
Rodri suffered a torn ACL in late September that required surgery. He returned to action just a month ago in a Premier League win over Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth. While he’s not yet at his best, Guardiola remains patient: “We’ve missed him a lot. He’s the best player in the world. Any team would have missed him. Thankfully, he’s slowly coming back.”
