Rodri finally back as Man City set to put the squeeze in title race as Guardiola praises his team’s turnaround in past 12 months.
Manchester City welcome Rodri back with Guardiola ‘prouder than ever’ of 2025 efforts.
Pep Guardiola has commended Manchester City for improving to become the top-performing team in the Premier League in 2025 and cautioned rivals that if Rodri is fully fit again, they will get better.
On New Year’s Day, City travels to Sunderland with the greatest points-per-game ratio of 2025, just ahead of Arsenal, who played two more league games, despite a rare trophyless season.
Due to a hamstring injury, Rodri, who played 90 minutes in the Premier League twice in 2025, is now available. Due to a cruciate ligament injury he suffered in September 2024, the midfield player missed the majority of the season. This led to City’s poor form and additional setbacks.
“At the end of last season, what we have done, overcome the problems that we had, one of the best seasons we have had as a team,” Guardiola said. “The guys who were there all season, the staff and backroom staff was arguably one of the best that we had. Because it’s how you overcome the problems. In this perspective, now every time when I reflect on what happened last season, I’m more proud than ever about what we have done as a club, how we handled the bad, bad situations.”
With a game remaining, City is five points behind Arsenal; at this time last year, they were fourteen points down. Last January, they made a significant investment, spending £172 million on signings.
“Without those players we wouldn’t be in the Champions League this season,” Guardiola said. “I think we would have been playing in the Conference [League] without those signings. Basically we didn’t have players for a long, long time, and the moment with the new players and then with three-quarters of the season gone others came back, we were the best team in the Premier League in the last 10 to 15 games in the season. Sometimes you have to take a decision as you don’t expect something.
“When we had all the seasons as a squad, we were competing like we are doing this season and obviously, come on, with Rodri we are a stronger team. There’s no doubt about that.”