Rodri has given Manchester City hope with his latest comments about his injury.
The Spaniard tore his ACL earlier in the season and was ruled out for the rest of the season. He has been in recovery, but the crutches do not look to be going away any time soon.
His absence has affected Man City severely, even causing them to lose four matches in a row for the first time under Pep Guardiola. City have won 74% of the games in which Rodri has played since last season and only 58% of matches without him.
Based on the current trajectory that the club is on this season, the win ratio is about to be even lower. This is why the former Atlético de Madrid man’s comments about his early returns are being celebrated in City circles.
“I feel I can return already this season, yes,” he told Spanish media outlet COPE. “It’s possible and I can make it happen”. I’m recovering now, no pressure, it’s important to recover in the best way.
“But the season is long, there’s the new Club World Cup, I can do it.”
Meanwhile, his former teammate, Sergio Aguero, has charged the fit players to tap into Pep Guardiola’s mentality to win all they can without Rodri.
“I think City are favourites to win everything, including the league, the [FA] Cup, the Club World Cup and the Champions League,” Aguero told Sky Sports News.
“Whatever City has to play for they’ll be the firm favourites, but I think it all depends on the mentality they have because it’s not easy to always be the favourites.
“I think City are where they are because Guardiola knows very well how to keep that mentality,” Aguero said.
“For me, he’s the key man for the club so that the players have the same winning mentality. Sometimes it gets difficult to win and it’s normal, but Pep’s team has been up there since he took charge, and that’s something many people don’t see.
“I think we have to acknowledge he’s the reason his players have a winning mentality. He’s strict and he makes the team be consistent every single game throughout the season.”
COPE also asked Rodri to comment on the Ballon d’Or ceremony where he beat Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr to the award.
There was perceived disrespect from the club as they missed the award after learning that the Brazilian will not win the award, they backed out of attending the award.
“If the Real Madrid team doesn’t come it must be for a reason, but I wasn’t hurt that Vinicius wasn’t there,” Rodri said. “Why would I be hurt?”
