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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has claimed that youngster Nico O'Reilly could replace Rodri in the starting XI in the latter's absence. He praised the 19-year-old's quality after his performances in their recent pre-season friendlies.
O'Reilly is yet to make a senior appearance for City, having made 75 appearances at different youth levels. He has featured in all three of their pre-season friendlies so far and also contributed one goal and one assist.
He was particularly impressive in their penalty shootout defeat against Barcelona on July 30. O'Reilly scored a goal, completed 29/30 passes, created one shot, completed 3/5 dribbles, and won 6/11 duels. After the game, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said about the Englishman (via City Report):
“Nico O’Reilly CAN play the role of holding midfield if Rodri isn't there. He can help us because he’s a player with a lot of quality!"
This is high praise from Guardiola as Rodri is widely regarded as the best defensive midfielder in the world right now. He's been a key player for Manchester City since arriving from Atletico Madrid in 2019, contributing 26 goals and 30 assists in 257 games.
Pep Guardiola hits out at organizations about schedule; highlights Manchester City's struggles ahead of new season
Manchester City have many senior players still out of action as they are on vacation after the UEFA Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024. This includes the likes of Phil Foden, John Stones, Rodri, Kyle Walker, and Julian Alvarez. They have taken a rather young side to their pre-season tour in the US.
In a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola said that his side will be behind schedule in their preparations for the new season. He said (via 90min):
"We will arrive late but not [just] against Manchester United, against Chelsea and Ipswich too. We will be late. It's about trying not to drop many points, try to compete well. We don't have players because they have to rest.
"If the big bosses and all the institutions like FIFA, UEFA and the Premier League don't think about the players then the managers have to think about them, otherwise they will die. It's too much. That's why three weeks or one month is necessary, but the competition is there and you have to adapt."
Manchester City will begin their competitive season against city rivals Manchester United in the FA Community Shield on August 10. They will then face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their Premier League opener on August 18.
