NewKerala.com

Key Points

Pep Guardiola admitted Rodri pushed to play beyond his planned 45-minute limit in Manchester City's 5-2 win over Juventus. The Spanish midfielder, returning from an ACL injury, played 66 minutes to boost his match fitness. Erling Haaland also made headlines by scoring his 300th career goal as a substitute. City now advance to the Round of 16 against Al Hilal after topping Group G.

Key Points: Guardiola Says Rodri Defied 45-Minute Limit in Man City Juventus Win

  • Rodri played 66 minutes despite Guardiola's 45-minute plan
  • Haaland netted his 300th career goal in the match
  • Man City topped Group G with a dominant 5-2 win
  • Next face Al Hilal in the Round of 16
3 min read

'Idea was to play 45 minutes, but Rodri wanted to play for more', reveals Guardiola

Pep Guardiola reveals Rodri insisted on playing longer in his comeback match as Man City thrashed Juventus 5-2 in the FIFA Club World Cup.

"The idea was to play 45 minutes, but Rodri said, 'No, I want to play more' – Pep Guardiola"

Orlando, June 27

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealed that midfielder Rodri wanted to play more minutes than originally planned in Thursday's 5-2 FIFA Club World Cup win over Juventus.

City's defensive midfielder Rodri was making his first start since suffering an ACL injury in September 2024 in Thursday's match. Guardiola admitted he had planned for him to play for 45 minutes against Juventus in what was the club's final Group G clash. But Rodri was keen to kick on his match fitness after returning from an eight-month injury absence, instead played for 66 minutes of the victory over the Italians, which gave them the top spot in the group.

“We had to make a step. Of course, we were lucky a little bit that the sun was behind the clouds; it was hot and humid, but sooner or later he has to play. It was a process of 20 minutes, 25 minutes, 35. I said, 'OK, the idea was to play 45 minutes, but at half-time he said, 'No, I want to play five or ten minutes more, the game was under control, we had a lot of the ball; he didn’t lose a lot of transitions. In the last two games, we conceded a lot of transitions," Guardiola was quoted by the club's official website.

“Everyone knows how important he is, when the best player in the world isn’t there, it’s a miss. That’s clear. But I’m happy he did a good 60 minutes and hopefully he can again help us a lot like he always has since he arrived," he added.

The game also saw Erling Haaland strike soon after coming on as a second-half substitute to chalk up his 300th career goal for club and country. It was the latest remarkable statistic registered by the Norwegian.

“All I can say is congratulations. Scoring 300 goals at 24 years old, this is quite good, right? You are too young, you didn’t see me, but I scored 11 in 11 years, imagine that situation! I admire lot the good strikers. I’m so happy for Erling, for his goal again and being involved in the short spaces. It was really good," Guardiola said.

With a win over Juventus, City are now the leading scorers at the global showpiece with 13, one ahead of Bayern Munich. After putting on a clinical performance at Camping World Stadium to top Group G, Guardiola's men have set up a Round of 16 clash with Al Hilal, the runners-up in Group H.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Rodri is the backbone of Man City! His dedication to come back stronger after ACL injury shows why he's world class. Indian footballers should learn from this professionalism 🇮🇳⚽ #Respect
P
Priya M.
Guardiola's man management is just brilliant! He understands player psychology so well. Hope ISL coaches take notes 📝 The way he balances fitness concerns with player motivation is masterclass.
A
Arjun S.
Haaland's 300 goals at 24 is insane! 😱 For context, Sunil Chhetri (our legend) has 94 international goals at 39. Shows the gulf between European and Indian football development. We need better grassroots programs!
S
Sneha R.
As much as I admire Rodri's passion, isn't it risky to push injured players too soon? Remember what happened with Bhaichung Bhutia's career after rushing back from injury. Safety first!
V
Vikram J.
The humidity comment is so relatable! Indian players face worse conditions in Kerala or Goa matches. European teams should come play monsoon season matches here for real test 😂
N
Neha P.
Guardiola's humble comment about his own playing career shows why he's respected worldwide. Unlike some coaches who pretend they were legendary players. His honesty is refreshing!

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50