When Rodri is missing, City do not just lose a midfielder. They lose their tempo-setter, their screen in front of the defence and, in tight games, the player who often keeps everything under control.
Reports suggest the club still expects him back later this week, but the delay matters with the season’s first competitive fixture so close. The same update says he has also been managing a minor back issue after a summer tournament, which makes the situation as much about readiness as selection. On top of that, uncertainty around a possible move to Barcelona has not fully gone away. Reports suggest City would want around £60 million to let him leave, so the story remains alive even if nothing appears settled.
There was better news elsewhere in training.
That gives Maresca more options, but it does not solve the biggest issue: many of those players are only just re-entering full work after extended summer duty. The squad is filling up, yet cohesion may still lag behind.
That is what makes the Arsenal game interesting. City may have more bodies available, but their most important midfielder still appears to be the key variable. If Rodri is not ready, Maresca will need structure from somewhere else.
The next storyline is obvious now: whether Rodri returns in time to travel and how sharp this refreshed but only recently reunited City squad looks in its first real test of the new campaign.