Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that midfielder Rodri is “suffering” and “struggling” as he works to return from a persistent hamstring injury, emphasizing that the club will not risk rushing the Spain international back to action.

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Rodri’s injury setback

Rodri, 29, sustained the injury on 5 October in a match against Brentford, lasting just 22 minutes before being forced off. Since then, he has featured for only one minute in a late substitution against Bournemouth on 2 November.

Guardiola stressed that the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner is making progress but declined to give an exact return date, stating Rodri will be “ready in a few weeks.”

“He is suffering, he is struggling because he wants to come back, but I want to protect him. I want to be sure right now that we minimise the risk,” Guardiola said.

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Rodri’s importance to Manchester City

Since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Rodri has been a key figure in City’s midfield, contributing to:

• Four consecutive Premier League titles
• Champions League victory
• FA Cup success

Despite his accolades, Rodri has struggled with long-term fitness issues, including missing almost all of the 2024-25 season due to a serious knee injury suffered in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

Guardiola described Rodri as a player whose presence alone boosts his teammates’ performances:

“If Rodri came on for the last 20 minutes against Fulham…just his presence, not even touching the ball, the other 10 players feel safe and they play better.”

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Recent career highlights

• After his ACL injury, Rodri returned to action in May 2025 during the penultimate game of the 2024-25 season against Bournemouth.
• He played in all four FIFA Club World Cup matches in the United States but suffered a setback in City’s shock defeat to Al-Hilal.
• This season, he has managed only 415 minutes across eight Premier League and Champions League games.

Rodri’s resilience and determination remain evident, and Guardiola believes the midfielder will eventually return to full fitness and impact City’s campaign significantly.

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Looking ahead

Manchester City face crucial matches in the Premier League and Champions League, including:

• Saturday: home clash with Sunderland
• Next Wednesday: Champions League tie against Real Madrid

Guardiola insists that protecting Rodri now outweighs short-term benefits, highlighting the importance of long-term player health over immediate returns.

“Ahead of us, we have many nightmare things to live. He has to be there. He will be there.”