Guardiola Provides Insight on Rodri Injury Concerns

Manager’s Hope for Quick Recovery

Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, expressed optimism regarding Rodri’s recent injury, indicating that he should be out for no longer than “two to three weeks.” The midfielder sustained the injury during the first half of City’s match against Brentford on Sunday, leaving the game with visible disappointment.

Injury Details

Rodri, who previously spent a significant portion of last season recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), injured himself within the first 20 minutes at Gtech Community Stadium. Following the incident, it was confirmed that he would miss upcoming matches with Spain in the World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria on October 11 and 14, respectively.

Guardiola commented on the situation, stating, “It’s muscular. Of course, I don’t want to lose him at all because he is such an important player. We tried to take care of him, but it is what it is.”

The player has only participated in 15 matches since the 2023-24 season commenced, having missed a previous game against Burnley due to knee problems.

Rodri’s Perspective

In an interview with Sky Sports, Rodri mentioned, “I felt a little bit in the hamstring, but it seems as though it’s not that much. I stretched a bit, similar to the final of the Euros when I had to go off injured. But the most important thing is it’s not that big.”

Managing Player Fitness

During a recent press conference, Guardiola was questioned about Rodri’s condition after taking him off during a Champions League match against Monaco. In that game, City drew 2-2 after Rodri’s substitution, which, according to Guardiola, was a wise decision given the circumstances.

“I was right, no?” he stated. “You asked me why I don’t play him 90 minutes all the time. The journalists always ask me why I substitute him. This is why we tried to be gentle and play him for 60-65 minutes.”

Match Outcome

Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the match against Brentford, which marked Guardiola’s 250th win in the Premier League, solidifying City’s strong performance despite Rodri’s early exit.

Rodri had to exit the game after 21 minutes during Manchester City’s triumph over Brentford. 🟢📱