Home / Sports / Guardiola: Rodri is irreplaceable, City defense suffers
Guardiola: Rodri is irreplaceable, City defense suffers
6 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Rodri's absence causes defensive instability for Manchester City.
- Pep Guardiola believes Rodri is irreplaceable due to his presence.
- Rodri faces several more weeks out with a hamstring injury.
Pep Guardiola has stated that Manchester City's current defensive frailties are significantly due to the prolonged absence of Rodri, whom he considers an "irreplaceable" player. The midfielder has been sidelined for the last two months with a hamstring injury.
Guardiola highlighted that Rodri's mere presence on the field offers a unique sense of security to his teammates, directly impacting their performance. The team has conceded 16 goals in their last four matches, a statistic that is more than any other team within the top six of the Premier League.
The Manchester City manager indicated that Rodri will likely be out for at least a few more weeks, and his return needs to be managed carefully to ensure long-term fitness, considering future tournaments like the World Cup.
