Pundit Lee Dixon has highlighted Rodri’s importance to Manchester City during the FA Cup final.
Speaking on ITV, six minutes into the live commentary, Dixon said this about the 26-year-old.
He said: “I’ll tell you what, we speak about all the City players who do well but Rodri. When a player like [Marcus] Rashford gets to the back four, he’s just there nibbling at your feet and getting the ball off you, he’s worth his weight in gold to that back four.”
Rodri’s season so far
Taking into account how the Spaniard has started 50 of the 54 games he’s featured in across all competitions this season prior to the FA Cup final, this highlights how pivotal the midfielder is for Guardiola.
Across his 36 league appearances, leaving him with more minutes under his belt than any other outfield player in the squad, the Spain international racked up a higher passing accuracy percentage (91.2%) than any other predominant midfield player in the division.
He also ended the campaign with the highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (100) in the City squad, showing how effective he is off the ball as well as on it, which, Dixon pointed out, shows how useful he is for his defenders behind him.
Even though the Manchester club spent a significant amount of money (£62m) to bring Rodri to the Etihad Stadium back in 2019, it’s undeniable that he has been a crucial signing made by the Citizens given how prominent and impressive he has been for the team.
With City having one game left to play before they can put this season to bed, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine that the Spaniard will be in the starting XI once again next weekend when Guardiola’s side take on Inter Milan in the Champions League final.
