Rodri Faces Injury Setback Ahead of Premier League Start
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has encountered an injury setback and is unlikely to be "fully fit" until after the September international break, according to manager Pep Guardiola.
The Spanish international spent a significant portion of the 2024-25 season sidelined due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained last September.
Rodri made his return to action as a late substitute in City's penultimate Premier League match of the previous season against Bournemouth.
At 29 years old, he was also part of Guardiola's squad during the Club World Cup in the United States this summer, where City was eliminated in the last-16 stage by Al-Hilal.
Rodri came on as a second-half substitute against the Saudi Arabian team but left the field early in extra time due to what is believed to be a groin issue.
"Rodri is improving, but he suffered a significant injury in the last game against Al-Hilal," Guardiola stated. "He has trained better in the last few days. Hopefully, after the international break, he will be fully fit."
Manchester City will begin their Premier League campaign against Wolves on August 16, followed by matches against Tottenham and Brighton before the September international fixtures.
"We hope he can play some minutes in these games, but what is crucial is that he does not experience any pain, as we want to avoid any further injuries to Rodri. We will do everything we can to prevent that," Guardiola added. "He has been training with us for the last two sessions, which is encouraging."