Manchester City midfielder Rodri is vocal about his struggles to manage his emotions on the field, attributing it to the officiating standards and rulebook complexities in the Premier League.
With seven yellow cards this season and a previous red card, Rodri finds himself close to a third suspension. The recent clash against Newcastle heightened his frustrations, with a contentious yellow card incident involving Bruno Guimaraes.
Rodri expressed bewilderment over refereeing decisions during the 3-2 win against Newcastle, labeling the referee’s performance as “unbelievable in a negative way.” He questioned the increased yellow card count this season and highlighted the challenges players face in understanding certain decisions.
The midfielder pointed out an incident where a foul on him went unpunished, and Bernardo Silva received a yellow card for the subsequent play. Rodri acknowledged the difficulty in maintaining composure amidst such situations, emphasizing the desire to press for a win while feeling hindered by officiating decisions.
The ongoing season has seen several rule changes and a crackdown on dissent, leading to an upsurge in yellow cards. City has also faced challenges with injuries resulting from delayed offside flag decisions influenced by VAR.
Rodri criticized the current approach, citing it as a factor contributing to injuries and expressing doubts about its effectiveness in the game.
City’s frustrations escalated in the Newcastle game, culminating in Oscar Bobb’s injury-time winner with only three minutes added on, despite apparent time-wasting by Newcastle when leading. Bernardo Silva’s gesture to the officials and conversations between players after the match highlighted City’s discontent with the refereeing decisions.
Despite the challenges, Kevin De Bruyne’s impactful performance, coming off the bench to score an equalizer and assist in Bobb’s winner, drew praise from Rodri.
He acknowledged De Bruyne’s crucial role, emphasizing his importance in the team. Additionally, Rodri expressed excitement for academy product Oscar Bobb, hailing his incredible goal and foreseeing his significance in the team’s future.
