Manchester City midfielder Rodri has suffered an injury setback and is unlikely to regain full fitness until after the September international break, according to manager Pep Guardiola.
The Spain international spent much of the 2024-25 season sidelined following a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last September.
Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, made his return to action late last season, coming on as a substitute in City’s penultimate Premier League match against Bournemouth.
He was also part of Guardiola’s squad at the Club World Cup in the United States over the summer. However, during the last-16 stage defeat to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, Rodri came on as a second-half substitute but had to leave early in extra time due to a suspected groin issue.
“Rodri is improving, but he picked up a significant injury in the game against Al-Hilal,” Guardiola said. “He has been training better in the last few days, and hopefully, he will be fully fit after the international break.”
Manchester City begin their Premier League campaign away at Wolves on August 16 before facing Tottenham and Brighton ahead of the September internationals.
Guardiola emphasized the importance of managing Rodri’s recovery carefully: “Our priority is that he does not experience pain. We don’t want Rodri to return too soon and risk a new injury. We will do everything possible to avoid that.”
