Manchester City’s undroppable baller, Rodrigo Hernàndez Cascante, known mostly as Rodri, has pleaded with his manager Pep Guardiola for a break.
The Spanish footballer has been at the heart of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City winning machine. Known for his great positioning skills and versatility in transitions, the 27-year-old earned plaudits from Pep Guardiola for his tactical ingenuity and creativity in the defensive midfield.
His teammate Phil Foden also heaped praise on the Spaniard, labeling him the best DM in the world after City’s Premier League win over Aston Villa.
Rodri made it 64 games unbeaten for Manchester City in the Aston Villa match, as per Fabrizio Romano. He has now extended his undefeated streak with City to 66 games after the Premier League win over Crystal Palace and Champions League quarterfinal first-leg draw against Real Madrid.
The Spain international was definitely set to make Pep Guardiola’s lineup against Luton Town in the Premier League at the weekend but it appears he may be dropped in the wake of his plea for a break after the Real Madrid match.
Speaking after helping City draw the Los Blancos in an all-time Champions League classic, Rodri made it clear he needs rest, adding he has begun talks with the club to grant him a time-off.
‘I do need a rest,’ the midfielder said. ‘It is something we are planning. Let’s see how we speak, and how we live the situation. Sometimes it is what it is [and] I need to adjust.’
According to Transfermarkt, Rodri has made 41 competitive appearances for Manchester City this season, scoring 8 goals with 12 assists.
A breakdown of his appearance tally for City this season shows he has played 2,409 minutes in the Premier League in his 28 appearances, 578 minutes in 7 Champions League appearances, 90 minutes each in UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield, 180 minutes in FA Cup, and 151 minutes in FIFA Club World Cup, totaling 3,498 minutes.
This is in addition to the 6 appearances he has recorded with Spain national team since the beginning of the season.
According to Daily Mail, Rodri is 10th on the chart of outfield players that have recorded the most minutes in Europe’s top five leagues this season.
It is still unclear whether Guardiola will listen to the 27-year-old’s plea for a break. However, should the Spaniard have his wish granted, he could be ruled out of action against Luton Town at the weekend but will certainly return for the Champions League second leg against Real Madrid at Etihad.
Rodri is integral to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City setup, and it appears the club have not been able to secure a potent deputy and understudy for the player.
We reported earlier the Premier League and European champions are considering tying the Spaniard down to Etihad with fresh terms that will see his £180,000 weekly wages doubled to over £300,000.
