Manchester City news: 'We stop or I don't make it to 32' — Rodri's stark warning over football's relentless schedule

Rodri is going through one of the most testing periods of his career. The Manchester City midfielder suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2024 that kept him sidelined for around eight months, and a series of muscular issues since his return have further limited his availability.

The timing was particularly cruel as it came shortly after he had been named the world's best player, winning the Ballon d'Or in recognition of a brilliant spell for both club and country.

'We stop or I don't make it to 32'

Speaking in an interview with DAZN's Premier Corner show, the 29-year-old did not hold back in expressing his concerns about the physical and mental toll being taken on elite players by the modern football calendar.

'We stop or I don't make it to 32,' Rodri said bluntly. The statement reflects a concern growing louder among top-level athletes: too many matches, constant travel, insufficient recovery time and an ever-tightening fixture schedule.

In recent seasons, several clubs have been required to compete across domestic leagues, continental competitions, super cups, international friendlies and national team tournaments, placing enormous strain on players' bodies.

The Club World Cup, held in the United States last year, was widely criticised for the additional burden it placed on the world's biggest clubs.

How Rodri manages the load

The City midfielder explained that he tries to handle the situation intelligently, listening to the signals his body gives him. 'You have to know how to manage the workload because the body has a limit and we all have an expiration date,' he reiterated.

Rodri also reflected on the period after winning the Euro with Spain in the summer of 2024. 'When the Euro ended, I had a huge level of fatigue after five or six years of reaching every final. More than physically, I did not know how to deal with that mentally in the following years,' he said.

On his serious knee injury in 2024, Rodri described using the enforced absence as an opportunity to reset. 'I touched the sky. I reached almost the maximum I could have reached and it was a moment I used to recharge and get some oxygen,' he said.

Now fully focused on returning to his best, Rodri is working to be in peak condition as City push for another Premier League title — and he is expected to be a key figure for Spain at the 2026 World Cup under Luis de la Fuente.