Pep Guardiola provides Rodri injury update ahead of Liverpool visit | OneFootball

Manchester City are unlikely to risk Rodri in Sunday's Premier League clash with Liverpool, manager Pep Guardiola has said.

The Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder missed the midweek Champions League defeat of Borussia Dortmund after suffering another injury setback.

Rodri has made just six starts this season as he battles to return to full fitness following the knee surgery that ruled him out for much of the 2024-25 campaign.

Guardiola said at a press conference: "We will see tomorrow but I think we will not take the risk.

"It is the international break afterwards. You have to find the moment when you feel strong, you feel fit and can sustain the actions of the games that are so demanding, sustain it proper. You have to make that step.

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"Still we are in November. The best part of the season is ahead of us and we need him.

"We are still playing without the Ballon d'Or winner, a massively important player for us. We are desperate to have him back but Nico (Gonzalez) right now is becoming a really important player."

Rodri had missed four games with a hamstrong problem before returning as a late substitute in the victory over Bournemouth last Sunday.

City do not play again after the Liverpool fixture until travelling to Newcastle on 22 November.