Man City boss Pep Guardiola has said he doesn’t know if key man Rodri needs a rest after the midfielder stated that he would like one midweek.
The Spanish star played the full 90 minutes on Tuesday night as Man City drew 3-3 with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in their Champions League quarter-final first-leg and following the result, Rodri stated that he needed a rest somewhere along the season’s run-in.
“We showed our mentality to come back, to be honest,” said the Man City star said via The Guardian. “The media has spoken about rest and it’s important. They were a bit fresher in the first half than us, it’s normal. But I think the mentality of the team to go against them and come back with those goals sums up the mentality of the champions we are.
“I do need a rest,” added Rodri, who has played 3,498 minutes for City this season, second only to Foden (3,560). “Let’s see how we speak, how we live the situation. Sometimes it is what it is. I need to adjust. It [rest] is something we are planning, yeah.”
Pep Guardiola’s side face Luton Town in the Premier League on Saturday as they hunt down a fourth successive title and that could present an opportunity to leave the 27-year-old out ahead of the second-leg against Real Madrid next Wednesday.
However, the Man City boss will be wary of taking Luton lightly as any dropped points against the Hatters would be detrimental to their Premier League hopes.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola will decide tomorrow whether to give Rodri a rest
Speaking ahead of the Luton Town match on Friday, Guardiola has said that he will decide tomorrow on whether to give Rodri a rest or not.
“I didn’t speak with him, if he wants to rest, he will have a rest, or not,” the Man City boss said via Sky Sports.
“I don’t know, I had a feeling that in some games he is tired, like Crystal Palace and Madrid; the first half was better than the second half.
“More than just the physicality, he spends mental energy playing every three days; of course he is tired, he has played a lot of minutes because he is so important to us and we will decide tomorrow what we have to do.”
Pep Guardiola comments on Rodri saying he feels like he needs a rest ? pic.twitter.com/V3YDLDD2Zl
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 12, 2024