Pep Guardiola has said Rodri’s season-ending injury is ‘the problem’ for his struggling Manchester City side.
The Citizens have won just one of their last 10 games in all competitions, following a 2-0 defeat at Juventus in midweek. City are eight points adrift in the title race, having played a game more than leaders Liverpool, and face a battle to secure progress in Europe.
Guardiola’s team take on Manchester United in the Manchester Derby this weekend. Ahead of the crucial clash, the Spaniard said Rodri’s absence has been an impossible void to fill.
The Ballon d’Or winner saw his season ended in September after sustaining an ACL injury. Guardiola said ‘not one other team’ has had to deal with a setback of that size this season.
“If we need players then we go to the transfer market but I don’t know who is around,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference.
“We have known it from the beginning but Rodri is a Ballon d’Or player. We are playing without the best player in England last season. That is the problem.
“Not one other team plays with a central defender who has a Ballon d’Or. It is difficult.
“The moment he comes back, we will be strong again. We will be a good team.
“Of course, we still have to try and play the same way and to win. Sooner or later we are going to be back.”
Guardiola is short defensively this weekend with several absentees. He suggested a reshuffle could be required, with the City boss considering a change of shape.
“I don’t know what I have to do. I need players. We have three but we will see what happens.
“Maybe some winger will have to play as a full-back or maybe we play with five at the back.
“We are thinking what to do, but the soul and spirit of the team is there. I am sad for the players.
“I know and completely understand our fans may be sad. This group of players have made an era and done things no one else has done. Broken records. I just call the supporters to be there until the end.
“We have more injuries than ever and it’s made me think that you need a squad of 45/50 players. It would be more expensive for the summer but maybe you need more depth of squad.
“The schedule is the problem, it’s not the physios, doctors or players. This is the truth.”
