Manchester City’s Rodri, who missed most of last season after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament last September, is unlikely to be “really fit” until after this September’s international break, Pep Guardiola said.
The midfielder’s fitful comeback was interrupted at the Club World Cup in the United States when a substitute appearance at the last-16 stage against Al-Hilal was curtailed in extra time by a groin problem.
“Rodri is getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al-Hilal,” said City’s manager. “He has trained better in the last few days. Hopefully after the international break, he will be really fit.”
City travel to Wolves on 16 August and then face Tottenham and Brighton before the September break. Guardiola added: “Hopefully in these games, he can play some minutes, but what is important is that he doesn’t have pain because we don’t want Rodri coming back injured. We will try desperately to avoid that.”
Rodri, Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic – who had surgery on an achilles injury in the summer – were all left out of City’s travelling squad for Saturday’s friendly against Palermo in Sicily.
Asked if they would be available for next weekend’s Premier League opener, Guardiola added: “Ninety minutes for Rodri, I don’t think so. Phil, hopefully, it depends on the problem but it’s a long week so hopefully, but Kova [is] injured until September or October. Hopefully [he will be back] earlier.”
