Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is unsure if his star midfielder will be available for the clash against Arsenal.
Rodri is currently struggling with fitness issues, sparking concerns about his participation in the crucial upcoming match. Guardiola admitted he doesn’t see much chance of having the Ballon d’Or winner ready for the Arsenal game.
City are set to face Arsenal in a high-voltage Premier League encounter on Sunday.
Rodri started in Thursday’s Champions League match where City beat Napoli 2-0, but he couldn’t finish the game. After an hour on the pitch, the 29-year-old Spaniard signaled to his coach to bring on a substitute and left the field in discomfort.
Since then, doubts over his availability have only grown. Guardiola also couldn’t fully clear up the uncertainty at Friday’s press conference.
“I still don’t know, but he did a very smart thing (asking to be substituted in Thursday’s match against Napoli). Now we will monitor his condition,” said the City manager.
“(On Wednesday) he didn’t feel comfortable in training but said, ‘No, no, I’ll be fine.’ He played brilliantly. But he’s coming off a very serious injury, and he needs to be careful. We’ll decide on Sunday depending on how he feels.”
Rodri missed most of last season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). He returned to professional football last May following a long recovery but then suffered a groin injury during the Club World Cup, ruling him out again briefly.
So far this season, Rodri has played three league matches but has completed the full 90 minutes only once — in the 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
After four league games this season, City sit eighth in the table with six points from two wins and two defeats.
