In a recent press conference ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace, Pep Guardiola addressed several key topics, including the absence of Rodri and the team’s resilience.
When asked about the impact of Rodri’s absence, Guardiola acknowledged the midfielder’s importance but emphasized the squad’s ability to adapt. “I’ve said it many times—I’ve gone nearly a year and a half without him. He is the best in his position, and the team feels stronger with him on the pitch. But now, with Kovacic, Nico (Gonzalez), and O’Reilly providing great support, we have options. Sometimes you need a specific type of player or trait to get the job done. Bernardo (Silva) was outstanding in our last match against Brentford, truly exceptional.”
On the tactical adjustments without Rodri, Guardiola explained, “We sometimes play with a double pivot, sometimes a single pivot, depending on the situation. But we have excellent players in that position. Last season, when Rodri was out, people thought it was all because of him. No. This season, we’ve been without him for three-quarters of the time, and look how well we’ve performed. There are many other factors—injuries and other situations. But of course, with him, we are stronger. However, we cannot just sit and wait for him to come back. We must keep moving forward, and we have done that well.”
Regarding the possibility of Rodri missing the World Cup, Guardiola was confident: “No. If De la Fuente doesn’t select him, there is a possibility, but I think we will take incredible care of him to ensure he makes it.”
When discussing the title race and comments that Arsenal might have already wrapped it up, Guardiola remained focused: “We have a match tomorrow, then we go to Bournemouth, and finally Aston Villa. It’s important to stay focused. I’ve learned that when you lose focus, you put yourself in danger. The only thing we can control is to do our best. We’ve lost two finals—the FA Cup finals—because we didn’t do enough. It’s about doing better. The title isn’t in our hands now, especially this time. But I’ve always said: do it better, because other factors are the responsibility of those managing the competition.”
On Nathan Ake’s performances despite limited playing time, Guardiola praised him highly: “Nathan sometimes struggles physically, but few players are as reliable as him. Whether in possession or out of it, his concentration is incredible. He is one of the best players I’ve ever coached in terms of focus. The issue is when matches come every three days—he finds it tough. But look at the league cup final, the semi-final, or the last match against Brentford. He handled everything brilliantly. Nathan is an incredible player for the manager and his teammates. I signed him from Bournemouth, and he played in the Champions League final in Istanbul, showing how reliable he is. Top, top guy and top player.”
When asked if Ake might leave in the summer, Guardiola admitted, “He has only one year left on his contract, right? I hope he stays. I want him to stay, but I don’t know what will happen.”
Guardiola also commented on the general principle of teams rotating squads late in the season, saying, “Let managers do what they have to do. The less the Premier League intervenes, the better for all of us. So let Oliver and the managers do their job—no problem.”
