New Delhi, February 21 – Pep Guardiola admitted that Rodri might have returned from injury sooner than ideal, but believes the midfielder is slowly regaining his form.
The Spanish international sustained a knee ligament injury in September 2024, a year after winning the Ballon d'Or, and returned to play in May. Since then, Rodri has struggled to regain the level of influence he had at Manchester City.
Additionally, he missed part of this season due to a hamstring injury, which further affected his recovery and consistency. Guardiola remains hopeful, believing that Rodri is on track to return to his best form.
“He came back too early. Our desire to get him back, especially him, came back early, that's why it took longer. It's a good lesson,” Guardiola was quoted as saying by ESPN.
“Human beings have a recovery time. There are players who can recover earlier, like Bernardo (Silva) or Phil (Foden), and others need more time. Still, it's not his best, but every time his mood, his training, and his playing (are improving). He's a special player,” he added.
The 29-year-old Spanish player's contract expires next summer, and when asked if he wanted him to stay, Guardiola replied, “I would love that desperately. Rodri is Rodri. As much as he has aged, he is wiser and has a better understanding of the game. There are players who are defined on the big stages, in difficult situations, and Rodri is one of them, like Bernie, like Ruben (Dias), and many others that I had in the past. You cannot achieve what we achieved if you don't have strong personalities.”
Rodri is expected to participate in Saturday's Premier League match against Newcastle, with City awaiting the Football Association's decision on charges following his comments after the draw with Tottenham earlier this month.
The Newcastle match is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. (1:30 a.m. IST on February 22), allowing the Magpies extra time to recover after their extensive journey to play Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday. Guardiola, a consistent critic of the busy fixture schedule faced by clubs, hopes this will set a precedent.
“Big compliment to the Premier League for scheduling the game for 8 p.m. instead of 3 p.m. after this trip. It was a long one, they came back late, and then they have to travel again the next day. Now they can travel tomorrow, it's a big difference. Ultimately, the Premier League thinks about the Premier League team, what they need. Hopefully, this experience can be provided for the future for all the teams in England that play in Europe to have a proper rest and be ready,” he stated.
Newcastle are currently in 10th place and have not won in their last 12 visits to the Etihad. However, Guardiola anticipates a tough challenge, drawing from the insights gained midweek.
“I saw the last game against Qarabag in the Champions League, and it was exceptional. It was 5-0 at half-time, and it could have been 9. The rhythm, the intensity, and the pace they are playing are the Newcastle I remember when they started this project. Every team can drop points to everyone. It happened to all the teams,” he mentioned.