Guardiola Planning To Give Exhausted Rodri Some Much-Needed Rest
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is considering giving Rodri a rest after the midfielder admitted he was tired earlier this week.
Rodri made his 41st start of the season in Manchester City's 3-3 draw at Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Tuesday.
Only three players across Europe's top five leagues have made more starts than Rodri this season.
Such is Rodri's importance to Manchester City's system that they have lost all four domestic games he has missed through suspension this season.
Additionally, Guardiola's side have not lost any of the last 66 games that Rodri has featured.
"If a player doesn't want to play then he's not going to play, simple," said the Manchester City manager.
"Take a look at our games and then you realise. He's so important for the quality that he gives," added Guardiola, whose side have seven games remaining.
"I have the feeling that the games when he was tired like against Crystal Palace and Madrid, he was better in the second half. He runs more and was more precise in the second half than the first.
"More than the physicality, it is a case of spending mental energy. Playing every three days, three days. Of course he's tired, playing a lot of minutes."
Manchester City host relegation-threatened Luton Town this weekend in the Premier League as they sit third on the table, just one point behind leaders Arsenal.
