Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed uncertainty regarding when Rodri will consistently perform at his peak following a serious ACL injury. The Spanish midfielder, an integral part of City's squad, was absent from the recent Premier League victory against Burnley due to knee pain. This is the same knee in which he suffered an ACL injury last September, which sidelined him for a significant portion of last season.
Guardiola revealed that Rodri reported feeling pain in his knee during training and said he was unable to play. "Rodri yesterday in training said, 'I'm not able to play. I have a lot of pain in my knee, I cannot play, I cannot play'," Guardiola stated. As a result, the manager opted not to risk him, emphasizing the importance of the player's health. "When a player tells me he cannot play, I have to listen," Guardiola said. "The most important thing is his health. We hope it's nothing serious, but it's something we have to check carefully".
Rodri's absence is a setback for Manchester City, as he is a key player in controlling matches. Guardiola acknowledged the difficulty in replacing Rodri, emphasizing his unique qualities. "The issue with replacing Rodri is that, when at his best, he does so much more than any other holding midfielder in the world," Guardiola stated.
Despite the recent setback, Rodri was included in the 21-man squad for the Champions League match against Monaco. He participated in Tuesday's training session without any issues and is deemed fit enough to be part of the squad. Guardiola confirmed that Rodri is feeling better and his potential return for the Champions League tie will be closely monitored. "Yes (he is fit to start) He feels much better. Day by day to feel how best he feels and the game against Burnley he didn't feel good, today he feels a little bit better".
Guardiola is wary of overloading Rodri and putting him at risk of the injury recurring. City's form suffered last season when Rodri was out injured, and Guardiola wants to avoid a similar situation.
Besides Rodri, other Man City players are currently sidelined due to injuries. Rayan Cherki is out with a thigh problem and is expected to return around November 1. Rayan Ait-Nouri is recovering from an ankle injury, with his situation being assessed weekly. Omar Marmoush has a knee ligament injury and is targeting an early October return. Abdukodir Khusanov is also out with a knock injury and is expected to miss the next three games.
With several players currently injured, Guardiola will need to manage his squad carefully in the coming weeks.
