Pep Guardiola reveals what it will take for Rodri to make long-awaited Man City return with midfielder back in training after ACL injury

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury last September, with reports at the time stating his season was over. However, the Spain international returned to first-team training for City this week, sparking hopes he could play again this term. Despite this, manager Guardiola says the 28-year-old will only feature for his side again when the doctor says he is good and ready.

He told reporters: "The moment the official doctor says Rodri can start to play minutes, after that he will start to play minutes, but the doctors have to tell me. It was a difficult injury. It was an injury seven to 11 months, the doctor said. Every day Rodri is making more sessions but we have to wait so he doesn’t make a step backwards and get injured again so we have to be careful. Every training session he feels better and when the doctor says Rodri is stable and can start to play. After that, he is going to come back.”

It may not be a coincidence that City are set to have one of their worst seasons in years at a time when arguably their best player, in Rodri, has been injured. While it will be tempting to have him back playing again, especially as they try to win the FA Cup and qualify for next season's Champions League, the risk of a setback will be at the forefront of the club's minds.

City, who sit fourth in the Premier League, host in-form Wolves on Saturday in their next league match.