'That's why we tried to be gentle' - Bullish Pep Guardiola insists latest Rodri injury setback justifies Man City's cautious handling of Ballon d'Or winner as midfielder reveals return target ahead of international break

City saw Rodri suffer knee ligament damage in September 2024, with that issue ruling him out of 53 games for club and country. After 236 days out of action, the Spain international returned to the field late in the 2024-25 campaign. He went on to represent Guardiola’s side at the FIFA Club World, but suffered another fitness setback there.

Rodri has made just 15 appearances since the start of last season, with a serious ACL problem meaning that his game time must be limited. Guardiola had hoped that a key part of his plans was over the worst of his injury issues, but keeping the 29-year-old fit is proving to be difficult.

Guardiola told Sky Sports of Rodri after facing questions about why the Golden Ball winner was withdrawn an hour into City’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Monaco: “I was right, no? 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.”

Guardiola added when asked about the nature of Rodri’s latest setback: "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.”

Rodri hobbled out of City’s 1-0 victory over Brentford inside the opening 20 minutes. He was forced to take a seat on the turf early in the first half after it became clear that he was in no position to continue. He looked crestfallen when inviting medical staff onto the pitch. Rodri was able to walk off unaided, but was in some discomfort after clutching at the back of his leg. The fact that further knee problems appear to have been avoided does offer a crumb of comfort to Rodri and City.

The man himself told Sky Sports when asked why he had been forced to leave the action and when he could be seen again: “I'm good. I felt a little bit in the hamstring but it seems like it's not that much. The important thing was the victory. I stretched the leg a little bit, a bit like in the Euros final. I stretched a little bit but it's part of the process.

“I don't feel that I feel tired muscle wise, I feel fresh but the most important thing is it's not that big. It's part of the process. The good thing about this is you get out, you don't let the muscle stretch now. The good thing is the break so it will be even better in this sense to recover these days and hopefully I can be in the next game.”

Rodri will not link up with the Spain squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. He will remain in Manchester for treatment, with City set to return to action against Everton on October 18.

Guardiola has previously said of getting Rodri back up to full speed: “Rodri is an outstanding player, everyone knows it, maybe he struggled to understand it's not about six months or 12, the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri, this year is how to handle it. One year he has been out. The body changes, the rhythm changes, it's a question of time, if he's healthy he will be back.”

City want to see that version of Rodri, one which earned a billing as the best player on the planet in 2024, sooner rather than later. They cannot, however, afford to take any risks on his fitness, with it yet to be determined whether his latest stint on the treatment table will last a matter of days or drag on across a few weeks.