Rodri complains Man City had unfair disadvantage after Arsenal win Premier League title

Rodri has taken aim at the Premier League for refusing to let Manchester City’s players ‘rest a little bit more’ in the wake of the side’s FA Cup final victory.

Pep Guardiola’s men edged out Chelsea in last weekend’s showpiece at Wembley to secure a domestic double following the club’s Carabao Cup triumph earlier in the season.

However, just three days later, Rodri and Co came up short in pursuit of the Premier League title after stumbling in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth, a result that handed Arsenal the trophy with a game to spare.

While Erling Haaland struck in stoppage time to cancel out Junior Kroupi’s stunning opener, City’s fightback ultimately came to late – and the full-time whistle sparked rapturous scenes in north London.

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Jubilant Arsenal supporters flocked to the Emirates in their droves to soak up a first title win in 22 years, while Mikel Arteta’s players gathered at the club’s training base to enjoy the moment, partying long into the night.

With the Champions League final coming into view on the horizon, City’s slip-up at the Vitality Stadium means Arteta can now rest his key players for the Gunners’ final match of the top-flight campaign against Crystal Palace – a luxury Guardiola did not have on Tuesday night.

Asked if there was an element of City’s players ‘lacking energy’ at Bournemouth after the FA Cup final, Rodri told CANAL+: ‘When you play all the competitions, when you play after three days when these kind of teams [like Bournemouth] have ten days to rest, it’s a massive difference.

‘We all know this but it is what it is. We have to play with these rules but at this level, having this amount of days, makes the difference.

‘We lacked a little bit of energy [against Bournemouth] because we played a final two days ago.

‘The Premier League didn’t want us to rest a little bit more but, yeah, at the end, congratulations to Arsenal, they were the better team and we will try again next season.’

The City midfielder – who scooped the Ballon d’Or award two seasons ago – took the opportunity to thank his team-mates in their ‘remarkable’ but ultimately unsuccessful efforts to chase down Arsenal.

‘Of course we know that it is done,’ Rodri added.

‘I just want to thank all my team-mates, I think we were remarkable in the way we tried in a season of ups and downs. But in the end, we knew it was going to be difficult because it wasn’t in our hands.

‘We wanted to push until the end but unfortunately we couldn’t reach the victory.’

Asked if City’s many instances of dropped points prior to their trip to Bournemouth had ultimately cost them the title, the Spain international replied: ‘The level of this league demands a lot.

‘You drop points in many cases as they have done, Arsenal, and the two teams were there.

‘Nobody believed in us in January but we rose as a team and we were able to win two trophies and even fight for the Premier League. It was a good season but of course, the standards of the club, we always want more.

‘Heads up, stand up and thanks to the supporters, everyone who supported us this year and City will be there trying again next season.’

Rodri hopes he and the rest of City’s squad are able to ‘see the whole picture’ once the dust has settled on a grueling season, which is reportedly set to be Guardiola’s last at the Etihad.

Asked to pick out his ‘biggest positive’ of the campaign, Rodri replied: ‘Right now, it’s a bit difficult to see these things but we will see the whole picture in a few weeks.

‘We knew that there was a lot of players coming in, they had to adapt, and it’s kind of a new era for us.

‘But we want to succeed again, we are ambitious in this sense, and I’m proud of my team, my club, and we will try next season.’

Reports emanating out of Spain on Tuesday suggested Rodri could be set to follow Guardiola out the exit door at the Etihad when the summer transfer window opens for business.

Rodri, who is coming to the end of his seventh season with City, is said to be ‘eager’ to join Real Madrid – and there is a growing optimism at the Bernabeu that the 29-year-old could be coaxed back to his homeland.

There is just one year remaining on Rodri’s current contract in Manchester.

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