Rodri will not feature for Manchester City this weekend, with Pep Guardiola confirming that the midfielder still needs more time to regain proper fitness after his latest hamstring setback.
The issue came shortly after his short comeback appearance against Bournemouth in early November, which itself disrupted his long road back from the ACL injury he suffered in September 2024.
Guardiola’s update, as shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account, came just as SoftFootball highlighted the manager’s admiration for Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes ahead of the clash. The timing of Rodri’s absence feels even more noticeable given how influential he has always been against top sides.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Rodri won’t be available again this weekend, confirms Pep Guardiola.
Rodri is making good steps, it’s been three weeks since his last setback. He knows he has to take the real time to recover well mentally and especially physically.
Speaking during his pre-match briefing, Guardiola said Rodri is making good steps and noted it has been almost three weeks since the last setback. He stressed that the 29-year-old must take the real time needed to recover mentally and physically.
The City boss almost sounded a bit protective, mentioning that with the injuries Rodri has dealt with, rushing him now would make little sense.
The schedule waiting for City really is tough, with matches coming twice a week from now until March. Champions League meetings with Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid are on the horizon, along with Premier League games against Leeds and Fulham.
Yet Guardiola avoided putting any exact date on Rodri’s return, saying consistency from now until the end is the main aim. With Mateo Kovacic still out after Achilles surgery, the midfield options have been stretched at times.
One bright spot has been the rise of Nico Gonzalez. The 23-year-old, signed from Porto for £50 million in January, has slowly settled into life at City and now looks far more confident.
His strong showing in the recent win over Liverpool gave Guardiola some breathing space. Performances like that, along with earlier displays such as the Dortmund win, show the squad still has depth.
Guardiola ended by confirming that everybody is fit except Kova and Rodri but repeated that Rodri is recovering well. For now, patience seems to be the key word for City as they try to navigate a demanding stretch without their midfield leader.
