Pep Guardiola praises Rodri after impressive showing against Real Madrid

Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, showered praise upon Rodri for his exceptional performances throughout the season. Guardiola’s commendation came in the aftermath of City’s impressive 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, May 17. Rodri continued to shine with another outstanding display, effectively shutting down Los Blancos.

Even in the presence of star players like Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan, and facing formidable opponents such as Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, Rodri emerged as arguably the best midfielder on the pitch. Guardiola, speaking about Rodri’s contributions, stated, “What a year. Everyone is talking about Haaland, but without him [Rodri] this would not have been possible.” Guardiola further added, “He has become the best midfielder we have, it has been an imperial year. We are very happy, very much.”

Partnering with John Stones in Manchester City’s midfield, Rodri showcased his skills for the entire 90 minutes. He had the highest number of touches (124), passes attempted (113), and passes completed (102) among all players on the pitch. Additionally, he provided two key passes, the second-highest in the game after Jack Grealish’s three. Rodri successfully completed both of his dribble attempts, won all five of his ground duels, and made three tackles and an interception.

Throughout the first half, whenever Real Madrid attempted to launch an attack, Rodri was a constant barrier, regaining possession and recycling it efficiently. Even as Los Blancos improved in the second half, the Manchester City midfielder maintained a composed and confident demeanor, repeatedly extinguishing any potential threats.

Rodri’s performance against Real Madrid adds to an already impressive individual season. Manchester City has relied heavily on the Spanish midfielder, as he has missed just one game each in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League this season. Overall, Rodri has made 52 appearances across various competitions, scoring three goals and providing seven assists. In the Premier League, he has averaged 77.2 accurate passes with an accuracy rate of 91%, along with 1.9 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, and 1.0 key passes per game. Furthermore, he has won an average of 5.2 total duels with a success rate of 54% in each game.

Rodri has also excelled in the Champions League campaign. In 11 matches, he has improved his passing accuracy to 92% and his success rate in total duels to 62% per game. Additionally, he has averaged 2.2 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game. Although his average number of key passes per game drops to 0.3, Rodri demonstrated against Real Madrid that he can still penetrate defenses and provide crucial passes when required.