BRIGHTON, England (AP) — Rodri insists his return to fitness will not automatically turn Manchester City into the dominant force of old.
“I’m not Messi," the Ballon d'Or winner said after making his first Premier League start for City in 11 months in the team's 2-1 loss at Brighton on Sunday.
Rodri was out for eight months with an ACL injury, then suffered a setback in his bid to recover full fitness by sustaining a groin injury at the Club World Cup.
He was a second-half substitute against Tottenham before starting against Brighton. City lost both games.
In the 2023-24 season, City didn't lose any of the 34 Premier League games that Rodri played in as it won the title for a fourth straight year.
“I’m not going to come back and make the team win and win,” he said. "This is a collective. When we won in the past, I needed all my teammates.
“For sure I have to recover my best level ... Hopefully after the (international) break we can come back much better.”
City opened the Premier League season with a 4-0 win at Wolverhampton but some might doubt whether Pep Guardiola's team has the quality to maintain a title bid up against the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.
Rodri said: "To be honest, I don't care.
“People can think what they want. We will focus on us, work as hard as possible and let's talk at the end of the season.”
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Spain's Rodri, right, challenges Germany's Emre Can during a quarter final match between Germany and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, on July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points, VJ Edgecombe had 23 and the Philadelphia 76ers became just the second visiting team to win at Madison Square Garden this season, beating the New York Knicks 116-107 on Friday night.
Andre Drummond, starting with Joel Embiid out because of an illness and right knee injury management, had 14 points and 13 rebounds. The center was 3 for 4 from 3-point range.
The 76ers snapped the Knicks' six-game winning streak by outscoring them 28-20 in the fourth quarter, when Maxey scored 11 points and Jalen Brunson missed all five of his shots and was scoreless.
Brunson finished with 22 points, nine assists and six rebounds, but shot 7 for 22 a night after making the go-ahead 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left in a victory at Indiana. Karl-Anthony Towns also scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
In their first home game since winning the NBA Cup on Tuesday, the Knicks fell to 13-2 at home. They had been off to their best start at MSG since 1992-93.
They celebrated the Cup title before the game, though they have chosen not to hang a banner to commemorate it, as previous champions the Lakers and Bucks did.
The Knicks wasted Mitchell Robinson's best game of the season. The center had season highs of 21 points and 16 rebounds and was a stunning 7 for 8 at the free-throw line after he came into the game 6 for 27 (22.2%) for the season.
Mikal Bridges also scored 21 points.
Maxey and Edgecombe combined for 18 points in the fourth quarter after the 76ers led by one going into the period. The Knicks were 1 for 8 on 3s in the quarter.
76ers: Host Dallas on Saturday.
Knicks: Host Miami on Sunday.
This story has been corrected to show that Andre Drummond scored 14 points. A previous version said he had 19.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, left, dribbles around Philadelphia 76ers forward Jabari Walker, middle, and center Adam Bona, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, left, dribbles past Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, right, dribbles around Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)
Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards falls into the lap of former tennis player John McEnroe, left, in red hat, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart, left, and forward OG Anunoby, right, defend against Philadelphia 76ers forward Dominick Barlow, middle, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/John Munson)
