Real against Manchester City: The Rodri factor in the duel of the giants

Manchester City has to catch up with a 2: 3 in the play-off of the Champions League at Real Madrid. The incredible values ​​of the injured Rodri are the biggest problem of the Guardiola team.

Earlier than in the football year, the delivers Champions League the first Climax. The new mode with the Play-off Makes it possible: Real Madrid or Manchester City, one of the two title favorites doesn’t even make it into the round of 16.

From 9 p.m. there will be a showdown in Madrid, Real starts with a 3-2 lead From the first leg in Manchester. That’s why City trainer sees Pep Guardiola “Only one percent chance of climbing” against the Defending champion – to be able to win the premier class like in 2023.

The biggest problem of Guardiola is that Violation of Rodri. On September 22, 2024, the current world football playerReuzband torn. Since then, the defensive stability has been missing.

This is shown by Rodri’s incredible values.

In the 2: 3, Guardiola had it with the same Five trained central defenders tried. John Stones should try six in front of the chain of four. Despite the concentrated defensive of the home side and a Haaland elf to 2-1, the Madrilenen will ultimately reach two decisive goals by Diaz (86th) and Bellingham (92nd).

No replacement

In the four months before, there was actually high quality in the six -position. But neither the Croatian Routinier Kovacic still Returnee Gündogan Could convey the stability that is crucial for Guardiola football.

Apparently only Rodri can conduct the million team, so As Guardiola once did with Barcelona. The world football player is simply not to replace in a team that was expensive in January.

Proud 210 million were spent in the winter window. Was most expensive Goalgetter marmoush with 75 million transfer. The ex-Frankfurt hit three times at the weekend at 4-0 against Newcastle.

But Rodri’s overview, ball control and feeling for space and time cannot be paid on the transfer market. The astonishing numbers since the fateful underline Rodri’s meaning: City has won only twelve of 28 competitive games. In addition to five draws, there were eleven defeats. This results in the point cut of an average team, namely Only 1.46 points per game.

For comparison: in his entire, almost nine -year career with the light blue with 511 games now holds Trainer Pep Guardiola Despite the stubborn current low, still with one Fabulous point cut of 2.29.

Extreme balance

Rodris is even more extreme with City. The Spaniard missed three games last season for locking – All three have lost the Citizens.

The ball distributor in the Premier League was spared only once at the end of the season. In 2023, it promptly set a defeat against Brentford, in 2024 a victory of the master was exceptionally assumed without the 28-year-old.

In the Champions League, the Atletico Madrid in 2019 remained around 70 million euros transfer difference players In the pre -season actually unbeaten, the end of Real only came in the quarter -finals after two draws in the penalty shootout.

In fact, Mancity lost with Rodri on the pitch last season A single game: 1-2 in the FA-Cup finalof all people against arch -rival united.

24 months undefeated

Finally one more Incredibly sounding statisticswith which every football quiz can be enriched: When did City recently lost a game with Rodri in the Premier League?

Over two years ago, on February 5, 2023 – with 0: 1 against Tottenham.