Rodri Requests Rest After Madrid Match
Rodri Hernández confessed that he needs a break after the thrilling match between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.
"I need a rest," admitted Rodrigo Hernández after Tuesday's chaotic 3-3 draw between Real Madrid and Manchester City. The Spanish midfielder, who had a below-par performance compared to his usual high standards, is the second most fielded player for City and is calling for a break, which could come this weekend against Luton Town.
City, having faced four matches (Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Real Madrid) in a ten-day period, will play against Luton Town this Saturday, one of the relegation candidates who they previously defeated 2-6 in
the FA Cup a few weeks ago, with Erling Haaland scoring five goals and Kevin de Bruyne providing four assists.
With the 'Hatters' struggling with injuries and playing at an Etihad Stadium where City hasn't lost in the last forty matches, the match against Rob Edwards' side seems like the perfect opportunity to give Rodri the rest he deserves.
Because the Spaniard has played 3,947 minutes this season with City (plus 518 with Spain), being the most fielded outfield player by Pep Guardiola, only behind Phil Foden, who arrived fresher at the Santiago Bernabéu
after not playing in the weekend's victory against Crystal Palace.
Rodri, however, has started in all four matches in ten days, and his rest has been limited to being substituted in the 75th minute against Aston Villa and the 74th minute against Palace, and only because by that point the matches were already decided.
"We'll see what we talk about and how the situation is," Rodri hinted at a possible rest from Guardiola. "Sometimes that's the way it is. I need to adjust it, and yes, a rest is something we plan."
In the top five European leagues, Rodri is in the top 15 players with the most minutes accumulated, ranking as the fifth midfielder on that list, only behind Bruno Guimaraes, Tomas Soucek, Stanislav Lobotka, and Declan
Rice.
"You can play a lot during a season, but if it's two or three in a row, it can be bad for your team because your physical level drops, so you have to be careful. It can't always be like this, and we've already discussed it."
Rodri, who besides the four consecutive City matches played the full 90 minutes in the friendly against Brazil at the Santiago Bernabéu, is a key and irreplaceable piece for City. He hasn't missed a match for over a year, and City's four defeats this season have come without him. Three in the Premier League because he was suspended and the League Cup elimination because he wasn't included in the squad. In fact, Rodri has held the record for weeks, surpassing Ricardo Carvalho, for the most consecutive matches in the Premier League without knowing defeat.
There is no natural replacement for the Spanish midfielder at City, but Guardiola will have to turn to Matheus Nunes and Mateo Kovacic, as well as Rico Lewis, who can play in midfield as well as in defense, to cover for Rodri.
City is immersed in three competitions and will play all three this week. The Premier League won't be definitive since, after the Luton Town match, there will still be six matchdays remaining, and in the worst-case scenario, City, if they were to lose, would be three points behind Arsenal and two behind Liverpool. On Wednesday, they will host Real Madrid in the quarter-final second leg, and on Saturday, they will travel to London to face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals. Having Rodri available and healthy is vital for City's treble aspirations to remain alive after this crucial week.
