Rodri is City’s metronome, the rhythm of the whole orchestra and he’s still out after that ACL nightmare and subsequent setbacks, even missing the 4 – 1 over Dortmund. That’s why this question is seismic: how does Pep keep the machine purring without the Ballon d’Or winner?
For context on the dressing-room temperature and the boss’s mindset, Pep’s stance after the Villa stumble Guardiola’s calm after the Villa setback and where City go from here is the compass point.
First in line is Nico Gonzzlez the “mini-Rodri”. He reads danger, protects rest-defense, and hits those vertical punches through the thirds. Pep’s already said Nico’s the go-to when Rodri can’t go. It’s the right profile, the right habits; now it’s about reps under pressure.
Then there’s Mateo Kovacic, the press-escape artist. When fit, he can tempo-manage and dribble you out of a straitjacket but fitness has been a question, so Pep can’t plan the whole house on him.
Rico Lewis? Outrageous IQ, angles for fun, but in the Premier League’s aerial wrestling match Pep worries about sheer size in that zone. Use him when the game state and opponent allow; he’ll still carve teams between the lines.
John Stones is the wild card. As an inverted 6 he gives City a spare man in build-up and the calm to draw presses like a magnet remember Istanbul 2023. It’s a different ceiling when he steps in there.
Tijjani Reijnders arrived to be an eight, not a pure anchor but his engine and reception body-shape make him a viable deputy when City need more carry from deep.
Matheus Nunes has had cameos at 6 and can give you range plus dribble threat; Kalvin Phillips has the pedigree but not Pep’s trust. These are break-glass options, not the blueprint.
So what’s the wow? Pep won’t “replace” Rodri; he’ll redistribute Rodri tilting roles, mixing Stones/Nico pivots, toggling eights’ heights, and turning rest-defense into an art project. If he solves this puzzle, we’re not just watching a team we’re watching a masterclass in tactical alchemy.
