Rodri criticized

Rodri played poorly against Al Hilal. Photo: Reuters .

Coach Pep Guardiola left Rodri on the bench from the start of the match against Al Hilal and only brought him on in the 53rd minute to replace Ilkay Gundogan. However, the Spanish midfielder did not play the whole match and was replaced in the 100th minute by Phil Foden.

In the 47 minutes on the pitch, Rodri did not make an impression. He appeared slow, despite having a 90% passing accuracy rate and creating 1 scoring opportunity. The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner made many mistakes and lost the ball 7 times.

In a situation in the 97th minute, Rodri misplaced the ball straight into the feet of an Al Hilal player, causing Man City to lose their attacking rhythm. Immediately after, in a one-on-one dispute, the Spanish midfielder was also easily surpassed by this opponent.

"This is the worst Ballon d'Or in history," one fan commented after the match. Another account wrote: "Is it injury that has caused Rodri to decline to this point?".

Rodri's disappointment when his team lost. Photo: Reuters .

Rodri made an impressive return in the 5-2 win over Juventus in the final round of Group G of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup™ on June 27. He touched the ball 79 times, with a pass accuracy of 94%, including 100% of his long passes. Rodri also won 4/5 challenges, blocked a dangerous shot and contributed comprehensively in both defense and attack.

However, in a tense match where mistakes need to be limited like when meeting Al Hilal, Rodri did not complete his task well.

The Spanish midfielder and his teammates will have time off after Man City were eliminated from the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. The Etihad Stadium side will kick off their 2025/26 Premier League campaign on 16 August away to Wolves.

Source: https://znews.vn/rodri-bi-chi-trich-post1565095.html