Manchester City must cope without Rodri. The absence of the Spanish defensive midfielder is weighing on the Manchester club's organisation, and finding a balance without him has become one of the priority challenges for Pep Guardiola's staff.
An irreplaceable profile at the heart of the game
Rodri is no ordinary player. His role goes far beyond ball recovery: he manages the tempo, protects the defence and initiates attacking transitions. Without him, City loses a central anchor that few players in the squad are able to replicate in the same way.
Guardiola has already had to experiment with different configurations to maintain the solidity of his block. Each solution tested highlights a little more just how unique the Spaniard's profile is within this group.
A collective challenge as much as a tactical one
The question is not purely tactical: it is also physical and mental for the squad as a whole. Making up for such an absence requires a redistributed collective effort, expanded roles for the other midfielders and heightened vigilance on defensive transitions.
City remains a squad capable of adaptation. But the level of demand in the Premier League leaves little room for approximation, and every misstep could prove costly in the race for European places.
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