Pep Guardiola has claimed he “won’t take the risk” with Rodri in Man City‘s clash with Liverpool on Sunday, though a history of mind games will leave Arne Slot guessing.
Rodri missed Man City‘s 4-1 victory over Dortmund on Wednesday night with Guardiola revealing a fitness issue before kickoff.
That already made the Spaniard a doubt for the visit of Liverpool – and in his pre-match press conference on Friday the Man City manager appeared to rule his No. 16 out.
“We’ll see tomorrow but I think we won’t take the risk with the international break,” he told reporters including the Manchester Evening News‘ Simon Bajkowski.
“We have to wait for the time when he feels strong and fit and can sustain actions in the game that are so demanding.
“We have to make that step. We are still in November, the best part of the season is ahead of us and we need him.”
The suggestion is that Man City will prioritise Rodri’s long-term fitness having seen the midfielder struggle with injuries since tearing his ACL in September of last year.
Nico Gonzalez took up duties in the deep-lying role against Dortmund and is expected to fill in again in Sunday’s 4.30pm kickoff, with Mateo Kovacic also ruled out.
“We are still playing without a massively important player for us – the Ballon d’Or winner from two seasons ago – and we are desperate to have him back,” Guardiola continued.
“[But we know] that Nico right now is becoming a really important and good player.”
Mind games or player care?
Of course it would not be the buildup to a clash between Liverpool and Man City without a measure of mind games from Guardiola.
That has often come in putting pressure on the Reds as favourites, but also in casting doubt over the involvement of certain key players.
However the Rodri case could be similar to that of Erling Haaland in the buildup to the same fixture in February of this year.
Haaland went unused in a 3-1 victory over Real Madrid days before that clash at the Etihad, with Guardiola telling reporters beforehand that he was uncertain whether he could be involved.
The Norwegian missed out entirely, leaving Phil Foden to start up front, and Liverpool secured a 2-0 victory through goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai.