Rodri’s not giving up on his studies
PLAYING every couple of days for City has not managed to put the brakes on Rodri’s academic learning.
The summer signing lived in student digs while he was at Villarreal doing a degree, and while he has since swapped countries to pursue his footballing career, he is not giving up on his studies.
The Spanish midfielder is hoping to finish his exams in the fortnight break that the Premier League has introduced from February 2020 before starting something new.
While cramming has proven difficult with his schedule at City, it has been a welcome way of switching off from any defeats that the team have suffered in the opening few months of the campaign as they look to chase down Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.
“I have learned not to let [losing] impact me as much. When I was a child and I lost I would cry and get angry,” he told Marca.
“It was unbearable for my parents at home and I carried that inside.
“I have learned now that losing is part of this world, even if sometimes people don’t believe that. It’s part of football.
“I like watching football, but, for example, with Liverpool you lose and it becomes very healthy to think about other things, be that your family or your children.
“I don’t have children so I dedicated that time to studying.
“My first goal is to finish the business administration and management degree, it’s a personal challenge.
“Then I will surely do something, I like to have my head busy with many things.”
City’s Rodri is studying between matches for the Blues
AS the January transfer window approaches, the Leroy Sane exit reports have returned.
The entire summer transfer talk around City was centred around two topics: buying a new centre back and whether or not Sane
GABRIEL Jesus has admitted to learning all he can from City teammate Sergio Aguero in his bid to become Brazil’s best striker.
In the absence of the injured Neymar, the Blues striker is among those expected to fill the void left by the Paris St Germain star.
The 22-year-old failed to find the mark in Friday’s 1-0 friendly defeat to arch-rivals Argentina in Saudi Arabia, with Lionel Messi scoring the only goal from the penalty spot, but will be looking to make amends today when Brazil take on South Korea at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. would be staying at the club. After Bayern Munich openly flirted with the winger in the summer, Pep Guardiola made it clear that the club would not stand in his way should he want to leave.
“The club made him an offer last year... I have said many times, we want people happy to be here,”
With 18 goals in 38 appearances for his country, Jesus knows he has a long way to go to challenge Neymar’s feat of 61 goals in 101 matches, but with the help of Aguero, he is aiming high.
“Of course, for me, the dream is to follow what he (Neymar) has achieved,” said Jesus. “To do that I know I have to work hard in every game, every training session for City, for Brazil, and I know I have to score goals.
“I am also learning at City to do this, working with Sergio. He’s a top, top player, the record scorer for the club and I can only learn from him. He
Guardiola said in his first press conference of the pre-season tour.
Then came the problem of Sane rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in August, ruling him out for the majority of the season.
The Bundesliga giants were never going to pay huge money for a crocked star who would likely spend the majority of the season recovering, but they’re still keen to get their man next summer.
Sane will have entered into the final year of his contract when the summer transfer window comes around and the German side will no doubt try to broker a deal, which will save them millions on what they might have offered last summer.
Reports over the weekend suggest his City team-mates are already convinced he will be on his way and Guardiola needs to stick to his words from the summer in that he only wants players who are happy at the club and want to stay. There can be no questioning of Sane’s commitment or attitude this season as the Germany international has not played since he came off injured in the Community Shield win over Liverpool at Wembley in August. But injured or not he has still not shown his commitment to stay at the club by signing the contract the club offered him last year.
As he continues to work to make his return, it’s reported he could
Charlotte Duncker scores almost every game. I am only 22 and I know I need to improve more, but that’s what I want to do.”
Despite his age, Jesus is mature enough to recognise the responsibility of scoring goals in Neymar’s absence cannot rest solely on his shoulders.
“Without Neymar for Brazil, you have to look at everyone to step up, not just me,” he added. “And Brazil have a lot of big players, not just Neymar.
“He is number one for Brazil, of course, but we have a lot of big players in the world and we can play well, even if he is not with us.”