The central cog in the brilliant blue engine admits confidence dipped during a run of four Premier League games without a win – as we faced tough opponents Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa.
But it roared back this past weekend courtesy of victory at Luton Town.
Rodri has felt the belief surge in the side and thinks everyone has played a part in getting us back on track.
Now it’s about attacking yet another difficult assignment with conviction – Crystal Palace at the Etihad on Saturday at 15:00 (UK).
Next Fixture
All fixturesPremier League
GMT
“We feel very positive in the sense that we have recovered the spirit because it dropped a bit due to the results,” admitted the honest midfielder.
“But we are always there to fight, there is no doubt with this team.
“I think the best version of this team is still to come when we recover all of the players and the machine starts again.
“I try to talk with the lads about this. We are an unbelievable team and this is built from individuals and I think we have to show the best of all of each [player].
“If I want to achieve it again, I have to be the best version of myself from last season and this is the way it works. I think everyone has to make a step forward and they are doing it.”
City achieved remarkable things across 2022/23.
We won the Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League, the latter of those secured by Rodri himself as he guided home what must surely go down as the most important goal in City history as we saw off Inter in Istanbul.
Despite the optimum levels needed to achieve the Treble, with the Super Cup added at the start of this season, the midfielder is calling for even more from his teammates as we look to scale unbelievable heights once again.
“Since the first year I came here I had the feeling that every year is not enough and you have to improve,” Rodri added.
“If you are at the same level as [previous] champions because you were champions in the past, you are not going to achieve it again.
“You have to increase, upgrade, the players coming in have to be even better and give to the team.
“Of course, we have to be all fit if we want to achieve it.
“I think in this moment the [injured] players are coming back, understanding each other and having the results with two to three months playing together. It is important.”
City will be hoping to, once again, fight on multiple fronts in this campaign.
We are heading to Saudi Arabia after the Eagles clash to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup, on Monday we will discover our Champions League Round of 16 opponents and we are scheduled to take on Huddersfield Town in the New Year in the third round of the FA Cup.
Despite this plethora of possibilities, the Premier League remains the focal point of the season.
Rodri, a three-time winner of that competition with City, is relishing the fight for top-flight honours and believes our experience will be a vital ingredient in the battle.
“I think it gives you everything in terms of having the experience of knowing what happens,” Rodri said of City’s knowhow.
“We have been at the front, we have been behind, so we know both situations.
“I think the most important thing is to keep focusing on ourselves, don’t think much about who the contenders are or who is with us fighting.
“This league is not going to be one or two contenders and I think every game is going to be a final and a battle.
“Everyone can be there because the level is so, so high in every game.”
