Pep Guardiola Sees Big Potential in 'Mini Rodri' Nico Gonzalez for Man City

The Citizens showed an improved performance in their last EPL match. While the main spotlight went to Omar Marmoush, who scored a hat-trick in 14 minutes against Newcastle, Pep Guardiola focused on discussing the performance of Nico Gonzalez, the new midfielder he called "mini Rodri."

The 54-year-old coach Pep Guardiola didn’t hesitate to give high praise to Gonzalez. He believes the 23-year-old has a strong mentality and great potential to develop in the future.

Although the 23-year-old Gonzalez is still far from Rodri's level, Guardiola is confident that the young midfielder can make an important contribution to the team for the rest of the season. His performance against Newcastle already showed that he could fill the void left by Rodri.

Manchester City's win over Newcastle felt like a breath of fresh air after their disappointing Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. However, Guardiola remains realistic about his team's chances of progressing to the next round.

The Spaniard officially joined City in the January transfer window, signing from Porto for £50 million. The Spanish coach expects him to be a worthy replacement for Rodri, who is out with a long-term injury. Despite his age, Gonzalez displayed promising qualities in his first game with City.

Guardiola praised Gonzalez’s mentality and his ability to read the game. He noted that the player, who once shone at Barcelona's academy, possesses a strong technical foundation and good tactical understanding.

"Nico's presence helps us a lot. He wins many 50-50 balls, and that’s crucial for building attacks," said Guardiola.

"I feel we've signed an extraordinary player for the future, especially in terms of mentality. He comes from the Barcelona academy, where they teach the best playing concepts in the world, from body positioning to passing the ball."

The 26-year-old Omar Marmoush became the star of City's victory after scoring a hat-trick in 14 minutes. However, Guardiola emphasized that this victory also depended on Nico Gonzalez's contribution in midfield. The young midfielder provides balance and stability in City's game.

Besides Gonzalez, Guardiola also praised John Stones and Abdukodir Khusanov for keeping a clean sheet for the first time in the last seven matches.

"Marmoush deserves credit, but don't forget Nico, Khusanov, and John Stones. They all play a vital role in the team’s success," Guardiola said. "Yes. They played well because of many factors, not just because of Marmoush. Nico, Khusanov, and John Stones were all crucial. Everyone contributed," he continued.

Although Nico Gonzalez is still far from Rodri's level, his potential is already clear. Guardiola even called him a "mini Rodri" due to their similar playing styles and physiques. While Gonzalez still needs to adapt, Guardiola believes he will become a key player for Manchester City in the future.

"He reminds me of Rodri. That’s a big compliment, but I feel that from his presence, his size, and his duels. Of course, he is far from Rodri, but I am sure he will help us for the rest of the season," Guardiola said. With his performance continuing to improve, Gonzalez has a great chance of becoming an important player in the Manchester City squad moving forward.