Rodri has criticised the scheduling of matches at the end of the season after Manchester City lost the Premier League title to Arsenal following a damaging draw away to AFC Bournemouth.
City’s hopes of winning the league title disappeared after a 1-1 result at the Vitality Stadium, a game that came only days after Chelsea were beaten in the FA Cup Final at Wembley.
The draw allowed Arsenal to clinch the championship before the final round of fixtures, ending the north London side’s long wait to be crowned champions once again.
Pep Guardiola’s players had already celebrated success in the EFL Cup earlier in the campaign and were attempting to complete another memorable domestic season. But the quick turnaround between matches appeared to leave City struggling physically as they chased another comeback.
Rodri, however, believed the fixture calendar had placed City at a significant disadvantage during the decisive period of the campaign.
Speaking after the match, the Spain international pointed to the limited recovery time his side had been given compared with Bournemouth.
“When you play all the competitions, when you play after three days when these kind of teams [like Bournemouth] have ten days to rest, it’s a massive difference,” Rodri told CANAL+.
The midfielder suggested the physical demands of competing across several tournaments had eventually taken their toll on City’s squad during the closing stages of the season.
Guardiola’s team had again fought on multiple fronts deep into the campaign, forcing players to manage a relentless schedule of high-pressure matches.
“We all know this but it is what it is. We have to play with these rules but at this level, having this amount of days, makes the difference,” Rodri added.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner admitted City appeared fatigued against Bournemouth after their exertions at Wembley only days earlier.
“We lacked a little bit of energy [against Bournemouth] because we played a final two days ago.
“The Premier League didn’t want us to rest a little bit more but, yeah, at the end, congratulations to Arsenal, they were the better team and we will try again next season.”
Despite his frustration with the scheduling, Rodri acknowledged Arsenal deserved credit for their performances throughout the campaign.
The Spaniard admitted City always knew reclaiming control of the title race would be difficult because the outcome was no longer entirely in their hands.
Rodri thanks City team-mates after title disappointment
Although visibly disappointed, Rodri used his post-match interview to praise the efforts of his fellow players after another demanding season.
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“Of course we know that it is done,” he said.
“I just want to thank all my team-mates, I think we were remarkable in the way we tried in a season of ups and downs. But in the end, we knew it was going to be difficult because it wasn’t in our hands.”
The midfielder’s comments reflected the fine margins that often define modern title races. City remained competitive until the closing stages despite juggling domestic and cup commitments, yet a single draw ultimately proved decisive.
“We wanted to push until the end but unfortunately we couldn’t reach the victory,” Rodri added.
Attention will now quickly turn toward next season as both clubs prepare for another expected battle at the top of the table.
