Manchester City suffered an unexpected early exit from the FIFA Club World Cup this week.
A path was opening up for Pep Guardiola’s side to go all the way in the tournament; however, Al-Hilal would shock the world on Monday night in Orlando, beating the Premier League giants 4-3 at the Round of 16 stage.
Guardiola was not convinced about the Club World Cup ahead of the tournament, but it was clear that City were taking it seriously throughout the tournament.
Therefore, it is not certain how the legendary coach is taking the defeat to Al-Hilal, but Frank Leboeuf believes City’s exit is a good thing for the long-term goals of the Manchester club.
Rodri in action for Manchester City vs Juventus.
Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Rodri to benefit from Man City’s FIFA Club World Cup exit
Man City’s goal for the season will be to regain the Premier League title from Liverpool after Guardiola’s team let their crown go last season without a fight.
Should the Manchester club achieve this, there is no doubt that Rodri will have played a role, as the Spaniard was a huge loss last season after the Man City star suffered a long-term knee injury.
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Rodri was subbed off during the Al-Hilal match with a fitness issue, but will now be able to rest following City’s exit, which ESPN pundit Frank Leboeuf thinks Guardiola will be happy about.
“He’s going to be happy. After a while, he’s going to realise that it was worth the loss of that game and getting out of the competition to allow the players to rest,” Leboeuf said on ESPN FC when asked if Guardiola will be happy with exiting the Club World Cup early.
“I mean, with the season that City had, they need a rest. They need to, you know, freshen up and wash out what they’ve been through last season. It will allow a lot of players like Rodri to properly train and be back to their best.
“It is the end of the season really for them right now, so it’s a good thing that they can have a break.”
A fully fit Rodri is a game changer for Man City, and Guardiola will be hoping to have the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner back to full fitness when the Premier League gets back underway in August, although it may take some time for the midfielder to reach his peak again.
Man City’s win percentage with and without Rodri
The 2024/25 campaign showed just how much Man City depend on Rodri, as it was no coincidence that Guardiola had his worst season at the Etihad Stadium in the absence of the £62.5m Spanish star.
Over the last three Premier League seasons, Man City have a record of 21 wins, seven draws, and 13 defeats when Rodri is not around, leaving the Manchester club with a win percentage of 51.
This is a big difference from when the 29-year-old is in the City team, as the Manchester club have won 53, drawn 13, and have only lost four games. This gives Guardiola’s team a win percentage of 76 when the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner is on the field of play.
It remains to be seen how serious the Spanish star’s current issue is, but what is certain is that Man City need the midfielder fully fit if they are to become Premier League champions again.