Manchester City were all over Arsenal early in the second half on Sunday when Rodri spread his arms calling for the ball on the edge of the area.
Rayan Cherki instantly spotted him and picked him out.
Rodri controlled it and fired it right away.
The low shot looked destined for the bottom-right corner of Kepa’s goal, but Martin Zubimendi got in the way and blocked his fellow Spaniard’s effort.
Ultimately, Rodri came out on top as City won 2-0 at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup.
But the battle of the two midfielders is far from over. It resumed on Monday when both of them reported to the Spanish national team camp in Madrid before the friendlies against Serbia and Egypt.
Not only are they still fighting for the Premier League title, but also for a starting place with the European champions.
That’s one of the main debates in Spain before this summer’s World Cup.
Can Rodri and Zubimendi play together?
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has had to address this question so often during the past few months that he’s now reached a point where he’s simply anticipating it in interviews.
“After all the setbacks he went through, Rodrigo is back at a high level. I’ve said before that he is the best in the world, but also on those same occasions that we are very fortunate,” De La Fuente told TVE..
“After all, in that position, the number 6 role, we have the two best players in the world: Rodrigo and Martin [Zubimendi].
“So I will get ahead of a question you are probably going to ask: can they play together? Of course they can play together.”
The 64-year-old boss has yet to truly put that into practice, however.
He’s done it once, but that was quite circumstantial. It took place in the 2024 Euro semi-finals against France, when Zubimendi came off the bench in the 93rd minute.
For most of their time at Las Rozas headquarters in Madrid, it’s been either one or the other.
Rodri had long been undroppable and even had a say within the dressing room in how the team played, but his last start was in September 2024 against Switzerland.
In his absence, Zubimendi has made such an impact that what once felt unquestionable no longer does: there’s life without the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.
The first clues to what comes next could arrive on Friday when Spain face Serbia in Villarreal.
