It’s vital that I become a leader now, says Rodri

RODRI believes it is time for Manchester City’s current crop to assume the role of leaders after Fernandinho became the latest icon to leave the Premier League champions.

Big personalities in the dressing room have routinely departed under Pep Guardiola, with senior players now in short supply. Four of City’s five-man captains’ group — Ruben Dias, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker — remain in the squad and the team will vote on their next skipper before the season. And as he enters his fourth campaign at the club, Rodri claimed others have to step up. ‘We don’t have many leaders because players like Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho are gone and they were at the club for so many years,’ said the Spaniard. ‘Now we have to take that role on. Ruben has done it. I feel that it can be my role. That is the gap where I can improve.’

Rodri also insisted that City can finally win the Champions League after several near-misses.

The 26-year-old said: ‘The teams who have won it the most — like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich — are always in semi-finals and finals. They don’t win it every time, but they are there.

‘Now we are starting to build a culture to be there every year. One day it is going to happen.’