Following Fernandinho was always going to be a tough ask for any defensive midfielder at Manchester City, but it looks like Rodrigo is grasping that opportunity with both hands.
The Spaniard moved to the Etihad Stadium from Atletico Madrid in 2019, for a fee of around £63.5 million - a club record at the time.
Since his arrival, Rodri has been learning the ropes of arguably the most important role of a Pep Guardiola system.
Working closely with Fernandinho, Rodri has shown promising signs of becoming a world-class talent - particularly this season.
With the club captain taking a more back seat role this campaign, the 25-year-old has been trusted to play a big part in some of Manchester City's biggest games.
One that particularly stands out is a 1-0 win away at Chelsea. Rodri sensed and intercepted any danger whilst kickstarting some dangerous counter attacks of his own.
Prior to the weekend's mammoth clash with Liverpool, in which Manchester City came back twice to secure a 2-2 draw, Pep Guardiola spoke about the Spaniard, and how he feels he can even progress further in the coming months.
"He's a young player, improving, has the willingness to listen and say, ‘I can do better’. I don't say ‘do it because I say’, I try and get him to understand why."
"When you have the willingness to listen, results are there. His margin to improve is high," the manager explained.
“Ultimately, it depends on the players. The last games he played were magnificent. He has a presence. I have the feeling he can improve, make us play better. We are here to help him. He is here to accept the challenge and he will be even better.”
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