The Ballon d’Or winner has been out for eight months but is now looking forward to another successful spell in his career
Manchester City midfielder Rodri is now close to full fitness and will return to a team that have clearly missed his control and calm presence in midfield. In the FA Cup final on Saturday, Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace tore through the Sky Blues’ midfield with impunity, something that surely would have been kept much more under control if the Ballon d’Or winner was there.
While Pep Guardiola’s team have had other issues to deal with – among them the constant injuries in defence, the sale of Julian Alvarez to Athletico Madrid, surely a mistake. Nevertheless, it is probably more than a coincidence that City’s plunge into the abyss this season began when their Spanish dictator left the midfield through a season-ending injury in September.
But Rodri is back now, and besides spending time mentoring the City squad he has also spoken of his readiness for a return to action, revealing he is feeling stronger than ever, both physically and mentally.
“It’s true that we’re at a time in football right now where such young players are emerging, and there’s such a huge age gap between them, that you say to yourself: damn, I’m already too old!” said Rodri. “But I think I’m at the best stage of my career in terms of age and that I still have a very nice second stretch ahead of me.”
The reference to young players is of course centred on the extraordinary rise of Spain teammate Lamine Yamal, 17-years-old but already featuring regularly for club and country, and staking a claim for best player in the world. Rodri says the acceleration is inspiring but shouldn’t be used as a benchmark for every player.
“Those 16, 17, 18-year-old players playing as starters in big teams is incredible. It’s a new phenomenon in elite football, unthinkable before,” he said. “You look at yourself and say: I’m 10 years older than him! At his age, I was in the youth team!
“Those kids are going through stages because they’re made of different stuff, but they’re exceptions, not the normal rule. That’s not the normal process.
“I heard from someone that there are a lot of kids in football these days who get frustrated because, of course, they see Lamine Yamal, but the thing is, Lamine Yamal isn’t normal. Everyone has their own journey. And when I was a kid starting out, I would have liked someone to tell me this story properly.”
But he himself is no stranger to spending years playing nearly every match for club and country, and Rodri says that the nonstop grind in football can take its toll, even on the most professional players.
“No, I don’t always like what I do, that’s clear,” said the 28-year-old. “It’s not every day I get up and say: ‘F**k, how cool, playing football!’ I’m lucky and I know that, but this profession has tough times and really tough times. There are days when you don’t want to get up to go to training.
“Especially when you get into that dynamic of playing, playing, playing, and also having to win, win, win. I’ve met and know teammates who don’t enjoy that, and it’s understandable, because there are times when it’s crazy. And it can burn you out. And there are people who explode.”
