{"id":1476618,"date":"2026-07-30T21:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&p=1476618"},"modified":"2026-07-30T17:14:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T16:14:34","slug":"tactical-analysis-why-man-city-rodri-fits-jose-moruinho-real-madrid-perfectly","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-why-man-city-rodri-fits-jose-moruinho-real-madrid-perfectly\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Man City midfielder Rodri fit would fit Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid perfectly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rodri looks set to leave Manchester City<\/a> after seven seasons and sign for Real Madrid<\/a> following World Cup success with Spain<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiple reports indicate that both clubs are engaging in transfer talks that would take the 30-year-old back to his native land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rodri has arguably been the driving force behind Man City’s recent success in English football. There have been ‘louder’ contributions from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland due to the goal contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the defensive midfielder’s relentless off-ball work and towering presence in the middle of the park is what allows his attacking-minded teammated to flourish up front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Coincidentally or not, it’s precisely when he started having injury issues in 2024\/25 that things went downhill. Rodri ruptured his ACL on Matchweek 5 of that campaign as Man City fell off dramatically to finish third behind Arsenal<\/a> and champions Liverpool<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, he played just 44% of all possible minutes in the Premier League<\/a> and often looked like a shadow of himself. Still a good player, given his quality, but below the understandably high expectations. And it was yet another season of the Citizens trying to catch-up with the Gunners – but this time failing to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the 2026 World Cup showed his usual self is still very much alive. He spent the whole tournament fully fit and would have played the whole thing if not for an 87th-minute substitution in the opener against Cape Verde<\/a><\/strong> and a 99th-minute one in the final vs Argentina<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from leading Spain to the title, he also won the Golden Ball for best player in the tournament. He had already won the Ballon d’Or at Man City in 2024 as well. And now, could be the key to ‘fixing’ Real Madrid’s midfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is Rodri the perfect piece for Real Madrid?<\/h2>