According to Chris Sutton, without Rodri, Manchester City would not be the same team that they are today.
After scoring the go-ahead goal in the Champions League championship game to capture the treble, the Spaniard just concluded his most recent campaign with the Citizens in the best possible fashion.
One analyst has since expressed his opinions about the midfielder and why he, along with other of his City teammates, deserve accolades as a result of this.
Sutton commends Rodri.
When questioned about Rodri and his efforts in the final on a recent episode of BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast, Sutton had this to say.
He added: “He’s one of those players in the team, in the squad, we know what Pep Guardiola thinks about him because he’s practically a constant, but when people talk about Manchester City this season it’s always about [Erling] Haaland, about [Kevin] De Bruyne, about [Jack] Grealish has had a big season, about [Ilkay] Gundogan as of late, but he just gets on with his job.
“We know how significant the goal was, but what really stands out is how well he performs his role within the team. He’s so disciplined, he keeps things moving, and quite frankly, the team wouldn’t be the same without him.”
Rodri was recognized as the Champions League Player of the Season following the final in Istanbul in addition to scoring the game-winning goal in City’s 1-0 victory over Inter Milan on Saturday.
The fact that the 26-year-old has played more minutes in the Premier League this season than any other City outfield player supports what Sutton said about how crucial the player is for the group.
It is obvious why the midfielder is getting so much playing time and why Sutton has praised him when you consider that the Spain international finished his most recent league campaign as the fourth-highest rated outfield player in Guardiola’s lineup with an overall performance rating of 7.26/10 from WhoScored.
The midfielder therefore finished the season with the most advanced passes (260), recoveries (301), and aerial duels won (72) of any City player, as well as the most tackles and interceptions (100) ever made by the team.
Moving forward, Rodri will undoubtedly provide his team a great opportunity of reclaiming the trophies they’ve won this time around if he can continue to produce at a high level on a regular basis next season.