Rodri sets ambitious Man City return date target and breaks silence on 'critical situation'

Rodri bluntly labelled Manchester City's slump in form at the end of 2024 as a 'critical situation', but backed his teammates to pull themselves out of it.

Rodri - the Ballon d'Or winner and scorer of trophy-winning goals - has played just twice for City this season before getting injured and has been ruled out for the full campaign. Since his absence, City have tailed off and suffered from more injuries, ending 2024 with just two wins in 14 games.

The Spaniard has watched from afar - as well as being in the dressing room for certain home games to support his teammates - and offered his thoughts on the run. On the one hand he called the situation 'critical', yet on the other he insisted the run will not be 'significant' as seasons are getting longer and longer.

“We are in a critical situation at City," he told AS. "I always say that when there are absences in certain positions, the team feels the effects. We have experienced this in other years with [Kevin] De Bruyne or with another player who has been absent for a long time. It is a time when the team has to be united.

"I know that we are in a bad time, a time that we are perhaps finding difficult to assimilate and in which we are not feeling well, but in the end this is part of sport. You have to pick yourself up. The good thing is that there is room for improvement in the rest of the season. This changes a lot. Football changes.

"I don't think that in the end this moment will be very significant, neither for the good nor the bad. You go through phases throughout the year. The seasons are longer now and maturity and calm are important. Obviously, you must not relax or believe that this is going to change overnight. That doesn't happen in football. It has to improve