Pep Guardiola has admitted that Rodri returned from a knee injury too soon, but believes the key midfielder is now getting back towards his best. The Manchester City boss acknowledged that the club's desire to have the Ballon d'Or winner back on the pitch led to an early return, which ultimately prolonged his recovery.
Rodri sustained knee ligament damage in September 2024 and returned in May, but struggled to regain his usual influence. He also missed a chunk of this season with a hamstring injury. Guardiola said: 'He came back too early. Our desire to get him back, him especially, he came back early, that's why it was longer. It's a good lesson.'
The manager added that recovery times vary between players: 'Human beings have a time for recovery. There are players who can recover earlier, like Bernardo Silva or Phil Foden, and other ones need more time. Still it's not his best but every time his mood and his training and his playing is improving. He's a special player.'
The 29-year-old Spaniard's contract runs out next summer, and Guardiola expressed his desire to keep him: 'I would love that desperately. Rodri is Rodri. As much age as he has, more wiser, more understanding of the game. There are players that are defined on the big stages, in the difficulties, and Rodri's one of them, like Bernie, like Ruben Dias, like many of them that I had in the past. You cannot achieve what we achieved if you don't have huge personalities.'
Rodri is set to play in Saturday's Premier League clash with Newcastle as City await news of an FA charge following comments after the draw with Tottenham. The match kicks off at 8pm, giving Newcastle more time to recover from their Champions League trip to Qarabag. Guardiola praised the Premier League's decision: 'Big compliment for the Premier League to put the game to 8pm and not 3pm after this trip. Hopefully the experience can be provided for the future for all the teams in England that play in Europe to have a proper rest to be ready.'
Newcastle sit 10th and have lost on their last 12 visits to the Etihad, but Guardiola expects a stern test: 'I saw the last game against Qarabag in the Champions League and it was exceptional. It was 5-0 at half-time, it could have been nine. The rhythm and the intensity and the pace they are playing is the Newcastle I remember when they started this project.'
