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| Rodri recovering, Manchester City plans cautious return |
Pep Guardiola has said that Rodri will not be fully fit until after the first September break, which means the club will not risk giving him heavy minutes during the opening league games.
The player in question is the 29-year-old Spanish midfielder who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or and who missed most of the last season with a knee ligament tear, a long layoff that only ended late in the campaign.
He returned briefly at the end of the season and then played in the expanded Club World Cup, where City lost in extra time to Al-Hilal in Orlando on June 30, a match that is now linked to a fresh problem in his groin area.
Guardiola described the situation as a setback that has slowed the player’s rehab, with training starting again only in small steps and medical staff focused on avoiding any new damage before the full season push.
That update came at a pregame briefing before City’s friendly in Sicily, where the coach explained their plan to bring the player back only when he can perform without pain or risk of relapse.
Rodri’s absence for the start of the league leaves a big hole where the team needs stability, because he has been the main link between City’s defence and attack, controlling tempo and covering ground in every match.
Last season’s dip in form and results was partly tied to his long run out of the side, and the club’s poor league finish has increased the pressure on City to find balance while he is eased back.
The coach hinted that Rodri could appear for limited minutes in the first few matches if the medical team clears those cameos, but the main aim is to avoid a rush that might force an even longer layoff.
City begin league play with fixtures that test depth and shape, and Guardiola has signalled that other midfield options will need to step up while the club protects its prize midfielder.
The new season’s early run includes opponents that can hurt a team that lacks dominance in the middle of the field, so precise lineup choices and load plans will matter across the opening weeks.
To give you numbers that matter, Rodri is 29 years old, under contract until 2027, and he was named Ballon d’Or winner in October 2024 after a season where he helped his club and country reach big moments.
His knee rupture last September kept him out for months, a fact that underlines why City are treating any follow-up problem with extreme care to stop a long term relapse.
The fresh issue was reported as a groin problem picked up during that extra-time loss to Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup, which left him training in the weeks that followed but not yet at full power.
From a manager’s view, losing a midfield engine for the start of the league forces a choice between reshuffling the core players or leaning on new signings and rotation to preserve the starter’s minutes.
City have invested heavily this summer, bringing in several new names to rejuvenate the squad after a season that missed its targets, and those additions will get early tests while Rodri builds fitness.
For fans, the worry is how quickly City can rebuild its rhythm without its most reliable midfield figure, and whether newcomers can keep control when the games get fast and tight.
The club’s official communication confirms that medical staff and coaches will return the player only when pain-free and in shape to play full minutes without risking the previous knee problem.
Guardiola has a track record of protecting players who have had big injuries and of letting them come back on a strict plan, which makes this cautious stance unsurprising but still costly in the short run.
That approach will likely mean the team relies on rotation, tactical tweaks, and younger midfielder minutes while Rodri rebuilds his match fitness beyond training sessions.
From the medical angle, a groin strain or similar tissue problem after a long knee layoff can change movement patterns and load on the body, which explains the need to test fitness slowly rather than push for early returns.
The club has said the player has been training in limited ways for several weeks, with improvement noted in the latest sessions, but the plan still aims at the post-September break as the likely point for full match work.
For tactical balance, City may use players who can hold position and recycle the ball, giving creative teammates more freedom while protecting the defence against counter attacks.
The squad’s summer signings offer options to change shape and cover pressing needs, but none have Rodri’s blend of cover, calm, and long passing that made him a rare midfield glue.
In recent press notes, the manager made clear the team will not gamble on fitness for big names, even if that means softer results early while they restore the squad’s health and rhythm.
That line of thinking still leaves room for short cameos if medical staff clear the player and the coach believes the minutes will help his rhythm without endangering recovery.
On the field, losing a player who reads play and covers so much ground will test City’s defensive balance, and that task will fall to the back four and the holding players who replace him.
City’s third-place finish last season shows the team can falter when key pieces are missing, and the club’s summer window points to an attempt to refill gaps while waiting for safe returns.
The manager has often chosen slow, steady returns for major players, so the message from the club fits the pattern fans have seen when other stars came back from long injuries.
If Rodri follows the outlined path and reaches full fitness after the September pause, his presence could reshape match plans and bring the kind of calm control City lacked in the late stages of last term.
What matters now is match by match planning, with the coaching staff balancing short-term need for points against long-term player welfare and the clear risk of repeating a lengthy layoff.
Across the next weeks, City’s coaches, medics, and fitness staff will watch how he copes in training and in short match bursts before deciding on fuller roles, which is the path Guardiola prefers.
Fans should expect a mix of lineups in the first month, as City test options and try to keep results steady while avoiding regular changes that could disrupt the team’s flow.
The club’s official channels and the wider press rely on verified comments from the coach and the match reports that linked the latest problem to the Club World Cup game, and that is the clearest, verified thread for the timeline.
To be blunt, Rodri’s absence does not end City’s title hopes, but it changes how Guardiola will plan each week and how other players are asked to carry extra work until the player is back at full strength.
Teams with deep rosters can adapt, but clubs still need a steady hand in midfield for big matches, and that is the role City will miss in the early weeks unless they manage minutes and choices perfectly.
For the player, the path forward is training, measured minutes, and no pain, and for the club the path is to keep results steady while aiming to regain full strength once medical staff sign off after the September pause.
I will watch the minutes he gets when the season starts and how the team uses him in late subs, because those small steps will tell us more about the plan’s realism than any pre-season line.
At a time when City have spent heavily to refresh the squad and face questions over finances and form, managing a top player’s return the right way will matter to the title hope, bigger cup runs, and the club’s long-term plan.
For now, trust the club’s reports: the player is improving, medical staff are cautious, and the earliest full return target sits after the first international pause in September, not before it.