Guardiola revealed in his pre-match press conference that his talismanic midfielder has undergone surgery on his knee and will now miss the rest of the 2024/25 campaign.
And, while accepting there is no other player in world football with similar qualities to the Ballon d’Or nominee, he did stress that a solution must – and will – be found to cater for his enforced absence.
City have coped with challenging injuries before – like Fernandinho at the close of the successful 2018/19 season and Kevin De Bruyne at the start of the triumphant 2023/24 campaign - and Guardiola is looking for a similar response this time around without Rodri.
“Everybody knows in their mindset that Rodri is fundamental to many, many things in our process,” said the boss.
“That is the truth but what can we do? Complain. Say ‘we’re so sorry, when Rodri comes back we will fight again’. We have to find a solution as a team, me as a manager.
“We have to move forward, move on. We have to find a way – and we are going to find a way. I am so optimistic of me and my team.
“We are going to find a way that’s for sure.
“We know he is an important player but Fernandinho was at that time, Kevin has been out many times, Kevin was one year injured, almost six or seven months, a lot of time injured, injured, injured. He didn’t play much and we won again.
“We have to find a way to do it. The team is good, the players are extraordinary in mindset and togetherness and we are going to try and do it.
“If we lose a game, it will not be specific for Rodri. Rodri has something that is difficult to find. But not here – all around the world. If you said Pep you have money to buy a player like Rodri, he is not in the market.
“I am so sad for him. No-one deserve it. But it is what it is. Hopefully surgery went well, time, recovery and with players we have, this is the challenge.
“We don’t expect everything will be smooth, comfortable and easy. There is no team that wants to be more beaten here in England than us – we felt it, we smell, again City, they don’t like them at all. We expect that. We have a problem? Let’s go. Let’s try it.”
Guardiola, who says he hasn’t thought about the January transfer window just yet as an option for Rodri’s absence, will challenge himself right now to find the right ingredients in midfield to cope without the Euro 2024 winner.
But he also expects his players to step up in his absence.
“We have huge personalities in the dressing room,” he added.
“Rodri is one of them by far. But everyone has to make a step forward.
“When you don’t have this type of player, it’s step forward to do more.
“Everyone knows how important Rodri is for us. So that means we have to do extra to replace his absence for a long, long time.
“We have to adapt with the players we have. The other ones gives us something that maybe Rodri does not have.”
