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Guardiola hints Rodri is 'close' to early return

2 Mar 2025

Man City manager updates on midfielder as Ballon d'Or winner steps up his training

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hinted that Rodri could be "close" to a first-team return after the midfielder stepped up his recovery from the ruptured knee ligament that has kept him sidelined since September.

The 28-year-old has not featured for City since a 2-2 draw with Arsenal on 22 September, and his ongoing absence has been cited as a key factor behind their struggles, as Guardiola's side have slipped 20 points behind Liverpool in the title race while also exiting the UEFA Champions League.

Footage released by the club over the weekend shows 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri taking part in an individual training session at the club’s Etihad Campus, news that will delight City fans and Guardiola alike.

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Speaking to ITV Sport after City's 3-1 FA Cup fifth-round victory over Plymouth Argyle in which he changed his entire starting XI, Guardiola said: "We can't go three days, three days, three days, so many games.

“And of course we need fresh legs and players to come on the team. This is [the full squad] except Oscar Bobb and Rodri, that they are close both to come back and it is the first time we will have more or less the squad and I am pretty sure if the season had been more or less that way the circumstances would have been different.”

While there was positive news on Rodri, Guardiola confirmed that defender Nathan Ake has joined fellow central defensive options John Stones and Manuel Akanji on the injury list after going off at half-time against Plymouth.

"Now again, we have centra defenders out for a long time," he said. "I think we are going to miss Nathan. I am so grateful and thankful to the club for bringing in [Abdukodir] Khusanov and Vitor [Reis] otherwise we would not have any chance, you know, to qualify for the Champions League or fight for the FA Cup."

'Many good things happened'

Saturday's win over Plymouth means that Man City are in the FA Cup quarter-finals for a seventh consecutive season, and also stand only two matches away from a third consecutive FA Cup final.

Two goals from academy graduate Nico O'Reilly and a third from Kevin De Bruyne helped City record a comeback win after the Championship side had taken a shock lead through Maksym Talovyerov.

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“I don’t take for granted the difficulty when you play an incredibly organised team. I’m not surprised what they did against Liverpool,” said Guardiola of a Plymouth side that had dispatched both Brentford and the Reds en route to the fifth round.

“It was difficult to challenge them because they are incredibly organised defensively. I don’t take for granted how good we have done many, many things. Every step is getting better. Many good things happened."

Gundogan to stay?

Guardiola also confirmed that German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan could remain at the Etihad Stadium next season.

The five-time Premier League champion rejoined City from Barcelona on a one-year deal last summer with the option of a further 12 months.

That contract option can be triggered if the 34-year-old, who has played 38 times across all competitions in 2024/25, makes a certain number of appearances.

When asked if the clause is close to being triggered, Guardiola said: “I think so.”

Man City return to Premier League action on Saturday 8 March, in an intriguing encounter at third-placed Nottingham Forest.

A victory for City, currently fourth, would leapfrog them above Forest into third place and take them potentially to four points behind Arsenal, who are second.