Rodri reveals what to expect from Manchester City after the international break

Manchester City’s mainstay defensive midfielder Rodri has revealed exactly what to expect from the reigning Premier League champions after the international break.

The Spaniard has been at the heart of all of Manchester City’s excellent work so far this season, and is currently on a staggering run of over 60 matches unbeaten across all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side.

With a Premier League title showdown against Arsenal on the horizon at the end of this month, and FA Cup semi-finals and UEFA Champions League quarter-finals looming in April, Manchester City’s business end of the campaign is firmly upon us.

However, many City supporters have a common feeling that these stages of seasons are when they usually see the very best of their players, and that is a presumption that is seemingly shared within the Etihad Stadium dressing room.

Speaking during a recent interview, Rodri not only revealed that the upcoming international break can be seen as a positive for the club, but that the Manchester City squad will return to show their ‘best version’ during the second-half of the season.

“It’s going to be good for us, this break. You will see the best version of this team at the end of the season,” Rodri insisted. “Always it happens because of the manager, because of the standards of the club, because of ourselves and the ways we have learned over these years.”

Rodri continued, “This is what we want to do. We asked the lads to rest as much as possible. I know it’s tough but we have friendly games (for our national teams).

“It’s important to play for our national teams but also to think about the end of the season. I think the best is yet to come.”

Following City’s clash with Arsenal on the final day of March, an April fixture list commences with a Premier League double-header against Aston Villa at the Etihad, and Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park – two sides that have already taken points from Guardiola’s side this season.

Those contests are then followed up by a European clash with Real Madrid at the quarter-final stage, with the two-legs in the Spanish capital and Manchester split by a Premier League meeting with Luton Town at home.

An FA Cup semi-final showdown with Chelsea at Wembley Stadium follows the second-leg of the European meeting, while the month closes out with an away trip to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest in Premier League action.