Seven games, and 39 days later, Manchester City took a big weight off their shoulders by rediscovering the victory against Nottingham Forest (3-0) to, in the process, cut two points off Liverpool after their ‘puncture’ in St. James ‘Park. A healing victory… and the first since Rodrigo Hernández received the Ballon d’Or.
Rodri, presenting his Ballon d’Or at the Etihad StadiumEFE
During what has been his worst crisis as an elite coach since he took charge of Barcelona back in 2008, Guardiola dropped a phrase that resonated due to what was understood as a comparison between the capital importance of Leo Messi for his Barcelona …and Rodrigo Hernández for his Manchester City.
“We can’t count on Rodri and we miss him. He is the best player in the world. Imagine our time in Barcelona. Messi was the best at that time. Do you think we could have won the treble playing an entire season without him?” Pep Guardiola recognized just a few hours before losing to Tottenham (0-4) and losing the undefeated Etihad 742 days later.
Messi was the best at that time. Do you think we could have won the treble playing an entire season without him?
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach
Much has been said, and more so in recent months, about the impressive record achieved by Rodrigo Hernández who managed to go 74 games without defeat until losing against Manchester United in the FA Cup final last May. It did not prevent him, however, from overcoming the streak of Paolo Maldini and Demetrio Alberti with Milan to become the player in history with the greatest number of consecutive games without losing.
It is evident that, on his own merits, he has earned the right to be considered the most ‘indispensable’ footballer in the world and who is valued much more when he is not on the pitch. So much so that the only three defeats Manchester City suffered throughout last season came without the Spaniard. That is why at MARCA, being the man who allowed the ‘sky blue’ team to lift their first and only Champions League, we wanted to dive to see if, for Guardiola, he is even more ‘essential’ than ‘his’ Messi.
During the four seasons that Leo was under Pep, Barcelona played a total of 232 games, of which the Argentine was only absent in 23. He was, by far, the player he used the most during his time at ‘Can Barça. ‘. Behind them are Víctor Valdés (200), Dani Alves (208) and Xavi Hernández. The figures, furthermore, are scandalous. He scored 211 goals and distributed 94 assists. The thing about him not being human… it wasn’t for nothing.
Messi, lifting the 2009 Champions League with Iniesta
Those were, surely, the best years in Barcelona’s history. The team’s winning rate stood at 71.98%. The squad was scandalous. But, when Messi was absent, they suffered slightly, dropping to 69.57%, while the defeats grew from 8.13% to 13.04%. The number of goals scored, of course, also fell (from 2.65 to 2.43 per game)… although the number of goals conceded was reduced without Leo (from 0.75 to 0.65 per game).
The six seasons that Rodri has already added to the orders of Pep Guardiola have resulted in him being the seventh footballer that he has counted on the most in his career, having lined him up in a total of 262 games of the 319 that Manchester City has played since his signing. In this sense, he has missed significantly more games than Messi (9.9% compared to 17.8%). It must be taken into account that, in addition to the fact that he has received a total of 47 yellow cards and one red, upon his arrival he had Fernandinho ahead of him and that, after this fateful injury, he has already been absent in 15 games.
Rodri, lying on the pitch during the match against ArsenalEFE
City’s winning rate since Rodri’s arrival is very similar (71.79%) to what Messi’s Barcelona had (71.98%). However, the winning percentage is higher with the Spanish available (74.05% – 72.25%) and plummets when he is not available (61.40% – 69.57%). Even more striking is what happens with the number of defeats. City’s average stands at 15.36% since 2020. With Rodri it drops to 12.21%… and without him it shoots up to 29.82%! More than double that of Barcelona when Messi was not available (13.04%).
The relationship regarding goal difference is completely direct. Without Rodri, City scores less (2.44 – 2.50 per game) and, above all, concedes more (1.18 – 0.90). From the midfield, he is the player who creates and destroys in equal parts. It is no coincidence that, until the duel against Nottingham Forest in which they kept a clean sheet, Manchester City conceded more than two goals during this crisis that has lasted seven games.
Every time he asks Guardiola who has been the best player in history, he has no doubt in stating that it is Leo Messi. But just the simple fact of asking ourselves this question denotes the vital importance of Rodrigo Hernández who, yes, has earned the right to be the most ‘indispensable’ footballer on the planet. At least, for Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City.
