Pep Guardiola drops major Rodri fitness hint after Borussia Dortmund squad absence | OneFootball

Rodri is yet to return to full fitness but has not sustained a fresh injury despite missing Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund, Pep Guardiola confirmed after the game.

City climbed to fourth place in the UEFA Champions League group-stage rankings as goals from Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and a brilliant brace from Phil Foden secured another important win for Guardiola’s side at the Etihad Stadium.

The Blues have won 10 of their last 13 games in all competitions and are in pole position to maintain their rich vein of form when Liverpool visit the Etihad Stadium in a tasty Premier League fixture this weekend.

Nico Gonzalez started in central midfield for the Blues once again amid concerns over Rodri’s fitness – with the 29-year-old having suffered a few injury setbacks since returning from a lengthy ACL layoff in May.

Guardiola and his coaching staff have tried to be patient with phasing Rodri back to action but the Ballon d’Or winning midfielder has endured a difficult spell since his knee issues resurfaced at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in June.

After missing Manchester City’s opening day win away at Wolves, Rodri returned to action in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham and subsequently went on an encouraging run of starts under his belt in September as the Blues started to turn a corner after making a slow start to the 2025-26 season.

However, it was again one step forward two steps back for the Spain international, who was hauled off in the early stages of Manchester City’s 1-0 win away at Brentford in October with an hamstring injury – having failed to start since.

Rodri made his awaited return to the pitch in the dying minutes of City’s 3-1 triumph in the Premier League over Bournemouth on Sunday, with Guardiola and co expected to be more cautious than ever in managing the former Atletico Madrid man’s minutes in the weeks and months to follow.

The Villarreal academy graduate was missing from Manchester City’s 22-man matchday squad against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, with Guardiola explaining where Rodri is in terms of his fitness as things stand.

“He (Rodri) doesn’t feel perfect, so that’s why we didn’t want to take a risk,” the Manchester City manager said on his compatriot’s fitness in conversation with TNT Sports after his side’s 4-1 win over Dortmund.

“He (Rodri) will come up. These little setbacks make us realise that he needs a little more time to feel good and play football. It doesn’t matter if he plays good or bad, it’s knowing he’s fine and he will not be out for a while. It’s nothing dangerous or I would say big, but still it’s more caution than anything else.”

It remains to be seen whether Rodri is deemed fit enough to make the bench against Liverpool on Sunday as Manchester City search for their 11th win in 14 games in all competitions and look to keep up the pressure on league leaders Arsenal.