Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri suffered a serious knee injury last September.
Rodri is making his comeback from a long-term knee injury (Martin Rickett/PA)open image in gallery
Rodri is making his comeback from a long-term knee injury (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)
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Nico Gonzalez believes Rodri is getting back to his best level after continuing his comeback at the Club World Cup.
Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder Rodri missed most of Manchester City’s 2024-25 campaign after suffering a serious knee injury last September.
He returned to action by playing seven minutes in City’s penultimate Premier League fixture against Bournemouth last month and came on for the last half-hour of Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia.
Gonzalez, who plays in a similar position, was signed by City in January partly to provide cover for Rodri.
The 23-year-old believes he can learn a lot from his fellow Spaniard, who he feels is “even better” than he thought.
Gonzalez said: “He has been (back training) a couple of months. He is an amazing player and really good in everything that can be good in a midfielder.
“I am trying to learn the most I can and I think I am starting to watch him at his best level. I am seeing things that I haven’t seen in a lot of midfielders.
“I try to see all the passes the players don’t see and take as much from him as I can. He helps me a lot. He is Spanish so we are starting to have a good relationship.”
Gonzalez’s signing came alongside those of Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov in the mid-season transfer window as City began to respond to their underwhelming season.
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The squad overhaul has continued with the arrivals of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and Marcus Bettinelli this month.
Yet while City have clearly decided fresh faces are required after a failure to mount a strong title challenge and a premature Champions League exit, Gonzalez does not feel there was ever anything wrong with the spirit.
He said: “The mentality of all these players was always good. I don’t think the mentality is what didn’t make us win a trophy. I think the attitude and mentality was really good.
“Sometimes you have a better season, sometimes worse. I hope this season is the best possible.”
City play their second match at the Club World Cup, and could secure a place in the last 16, when they face Al Ain of Abu Dhabi in Atlanta on Sunday night (2am Monday BST).