Why Rodri is absent for Manchester City against Borussia Dortmund with Liverpool looming | OneFootball

Manchester City will once again partake in a crunch fixture without the services of Rodri, just days after his return to matchday action.

The Spanish midfielder made a long-awaited comeback at the weekend, appearing late on in the 3-1 win over Bournemouth during the closing stages at the Etihad Stadium.

That brief introduction marked his first competitive minutes since sustaining a hamstring issue against Brentford – a setback that forced cautious management from Pep Guardiola and the club’s medical staff.

Rodri’s latest absence arrives amid a run of carefully managed reintegration into the squad, with Manchester City unwilling to take risks over their 2024 Ballon d’Or winner after a stop-start period following his ACL recovery earlier this year.

His situation has been the subject of growing concern in recent weeks, with Pep Guardiola openly acknowledging the need to avoid overloading the midfielder, who has already suffered muscular complications since returning from his long-term knee injury.

Manchester City have rotated smartly across their midfield and defensive options during this period, particularly with Nico González continuing to earn valuable minutes as he adjusts to Premier League life and impresses with each passing performance.

But with a potentially early top-of-the-table clash against Liverpool looming this weekend, in a game that could go a long way in assessing both club’s title credentials, Manchester City’s management team have once again opted for caution on the European stage.

Speaking to broadcast media ahead of Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Borussia Dortmund, Pep Guardiola told reporters that Rodri “doesn’t feel perfect” and as such would not be risked, with the Spaniard not included in the squad list.

Guardiola has made three changes from the side that beat Bournemouth, with John Stones, Tijjani Reijnders, and Savinho replacing Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Rayan Cherki – all of whom take places among the substitutes.

Rodri’s status for the game against Liverpool this weekend will no doubt be closely monitored, and the cautious approach tonight hints at the club’s prioritisation of having him ready for Arne Slot’s side.

Beyond that heavyweight meeting, City will next take to UEFA Champions League action in another clash with German opposition, as Bayer Leverkusen travel to the Etihad Stadium in the next round of European fixtures.

Rodri is expected to be reintegrated gradually, with Guardiola previously stating he would prefer to play the midfielder “almost every day” if fully fit, but that careful injury management is the club’s immediate priority.