Guardiola on Rodri’s Recovery
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has cautioned that it may take a significant portion of the ongoing season for midfielder Rodri to return to his optimal form. Following a long-term knee injury that sidelined him for the majority of last season, Rodri managed to play one hour during Wednesday’s Champions League match against Monaco, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Guardiola has been meticulously managing the 29-year-old’s recovery, acknowledging that the path back to the elite level that earned Rodri a Ballon d’Or award the previous year will not be swift.
Expectations for Upcoming Matches
Guardiola confirmed that Rodri is expected to be fit for the upcoming match against Brentford, but shaped expectations by stating,
“It’s not about six months or seven months after the injury. It’s a process that takes time. Rodri is a phenomenal player, but after nearly a year of rehabilitation, the body and its rhythms change. We need to be patient. If he stays healthy and follows the regimen, he will make his way back to peak performance.”
González’s Performance and Development
The situation was complicated on Wednesday when Rodri handed over his midfield duties to Nico González, a £50 million acquisition from Porto back in February. Although González has been slowly finding his footing in the team, he faced criticism after conceding a controversial late penalty that Eric Dier converted, ultimately costing City a win. Despite this, Guardiola defended González, stating,
“In the last 30 minutes against Monaco, he recovered more balls than Rodri did in the first half, and we were more defensively sound. It’s not fair to say that his presence resulted in us conceding the goal.”
At just 23 years old, González has started in four of his eight appearances this season, including matches in the Premier League and the recent Carabao Cup victory over Huddersfield. After that game, Guardiola even took time to provide the young talent with some guidance right on the pitch. The manager praised González’s potential, highlighting that adjustment to a new environment is a learning curve for many players, including Rodri during his first season.
“Nico is very talented and coachable,” Guardiola said. “He will improve significantly through experience. The key is to allow him to play his game and develop at his own pace.”
