Rodri plays today? Where to watch Arsenal vs Manchester City in the Community Shield

Midfielder Rodri, a key player in Manchester City and world champion, is out of the confirmed squad for the Community Shield due to a back injury. He continues to recover and will not take part in the clash against Arsenal, which takes place at 11am (Brasília time) at the Principality Stadium, in Cardiff.

The absence of the Spanish midfielder causes tactical adjustments in the team. The midfielder duo will be made up of Mateo Kovačić and new reinforcement Elliot Anderson, who will make his first official appearance for the Citizens. In the offensive sector, Erling Haaland leads the attack, supported by Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo and Jérémy Doku.

Manchester City enters the field with changes in defense and attack

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Manchester City’s starting lineup will have Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. The defensive line will be made up of Abdukodir Khusanov, Rúben Dias, who takes on the captain’s armband, Joško Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly. In attack, Erling Haaland will be the main reference. Jack Grealish, Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki are options on the bench.

Rodri is recovering from back surgery and has not yet been cleared to return to play. The injury prevented him from participating in the final phase of the pre-season and ruled him out of the opening game of the English season. Tijjani Reijnders and Savinho were also not included in the list of players listed for the match.

On the Manchester City bench will be Gerónimo Rulli, Marc Guéhi, Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, Nico González, Jack Grealish, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis.

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On Arsenal’s side, coach Mikel Arteta selected Bruno Guimarães in midfield, alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Ødegaard. The goal will be defended by David Raya, while the defensive line will feature Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel Magalhães and Riccardo Calafiori. The attacking trio will be formed by Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Christos Tzolis.

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The London team still has William Saliba and Jurriën Timber recovering from injuries. Players like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Viktor Gyökeres will start the match on the bench, while Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri were not listed.

Among Arsenal’s substitutes will be Kepa Arrizabalaga, Piero Hincapié, Martín Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Max Dowman, Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyökeres.

Understand the impact of Rodri’s absence on Manchester City’s tactics

Without their main midfielder, Manchester City loses a crucial player in marking and organizing the midfield. Elliot Anderson, making his debut, will have the task of assisting in the transition and protecting the defense. The match in Cardiff, which hosts the Community Shield for the first time since 2006 at a venue other than Wembley, marks the official start of Enzo Maresca’s tenure.

More on this story: Haaland plays today? Where to watch Arsenal vs Manchester City in the Community Shield

In Brazil, the game will be broadcast on ESPN and the Disney+ streaming service. The Community Shield is seen as an important test for the Premier League, which begins the following week. The choice to preserve Rodri indicates that his recovery still requires prudence, opening the way for new formations in Manchester City’s midfield.