Pep Guardiola issues “niggles” update on Rodri as recovery continues from knee injury | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued further encouragement concerning the ongoing recovery of Rodri at the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.

The Spain international and the current holder of the Ballon d’Or award is firmly into the final stretch of his long-standing recovery process from the serious injury that ruled him out of the majority of the last campaign.

Sustaining a double knee injury and ACL damage during last season’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in September, follow-up surgery and rehabilitation saw Rodri sidelined until the end of May.

But having further stepped up his recovery and competitive action on the pitch at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, there is a strong hope that the 29-year-old can enter into the 2025/26 European season ready to start matches once again for Manchester City.

Before then, the defensive midfielder will look to increase his time spent on the pitch for Pep Guardiola at the Club World Cup, having registered around 70 minutes of action combined against Wydad AC and Al Ain in the first contests of the tournament.

Now, speaking to reporters ahead of Manchester City’s final group stage game of the tournament, manager Guardiola has issued the latest on the recovering Rodri after another appearance on the pitch for the club last time out.

“Rodri can play, cannot play; of course, he’s not ready for 90 minutes but he played the last game 30 minutes, 35 minutes,” Guardiola told reporters.

“So he’s making steps forward,” he continued. “In the last three or four days he didn’t have some, not problems, niggles that sometimes you have.

“But he’s happy that we can add minutes to him.”

Following the latest comments from the Manchester City manager, it appears as though the Spain international will once again not start in the club’s important encounter against Juventus this week, despite a win needed for top spot in the group.

As such, the Catalan head coach could turn towards a range of options for the deep-lying midfield role, including their new signing Tijjani Reijnders – who excelled in his full debut for the club on matchday one against Wydad AC.

Other options could also include January recruit Nico Gonzalez, or more seasoned options such as Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva, both of whom have already been called upon at this summer’s tournament.