Midfielder of Manchester City Rodri made his first start in nine months when the blues beat Juventus in the club World Cup
He had to start at some point. That was the way Pep Guardiola Breezily nine months after he last made a Rodri's return to the line -up of Manchester City brushed up.
In a sense he was right. While the Ballon d'Or winner is working back to fitness, it was always inevitable that he would eventually start one after the couch arrived in some games.
Except that it didn't have to be. In this match, City went against Juventus at the Club World Cup – by far their most difficult group of opponent in a tournament that they want to win – far from where they wanted to be; Guardiola was irritated by the slow game against Al Ain, which meant that they were only second on target difference for this decision maker.
It did not feel insignificant then that he turned to the man who can control the pace of a game like no one else can in world football. He may have started at one point, but the previous match against Al Ain or even a last 16 match with all Hilal would have seen lower bet.
It was reminiscent that Rodri's first return of an injury, the penultimate Premier League match of the season against Bournemouth. It turned into a warm opportunity for the shipping of Kevin De Bruyne, but there was a real danger to a good team where the defeat had been the second in a few days and had left them serious work to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Rodri had to return to the team at one point, but it was still a conscious decision to bring him back for that. The stage was larger than it had to be, while he was exactly the type of stage dream that Rodri can still thrive after his injury.
It should not have been a surprise to see Rodri so well against Juventus. His earlier performances in this tournament have been nothing to write home about, and enough for some desperate people to make compilations of misplaced passes; They had little to do on Thursday.
Guardiola will dream of playing Rodri from now on every match, who build promising relationship with new signature Tijjani Reijnders. With the best player in the world in the starting line-up, City looked much better.
The implementation was not as easy as that and not from Rodri's return. The player himself said it will take months before he is back to his best and the city already reaches alternatives because they acknowledge the nagging doubts that he cannot go back to such a high level every few days.
How they have used it so far, however, has come well from what will come. If you can't all have Rodri, you probably want his level in the biggest games if it matters the most and the way in which City has thrown him in those situations, tells you what is needed about how they feel that his recovery goes.