Rodri is going to be out for the remainder of the season due to his ACL injury. Rodri is an important piece to Pep Guardiola’s game plan. His long absence will affect the team’s performance but I don’t think it will affect Manchester City title race this season. Manchester City have the money and will buy replacement in January. I believe Pep is playing mind games with his recent comments.
We all understand the fact that Rodri is an important player for Manchester City and a special tool in PEP guardiola's game plan. His absence would definitely be felt by any coach and in any team but it is not to the extent that Pep Guardiola is exaggerating it. We all know PEP and his mind game. He is definitely telling his next opponent to prepare less because his hit man is absent. Listen to Pep Guardiola at your own peril. If a player like KDB could be absent and nothing happened to Manchester city and also a player like Haaland was absent and they still did fine, I believe they will definitely cope even without Rodri.