Pep Guardiola has stressed the importance of patience as Manchester City continue to manage Rodri’s gradual return to full fitness.
The City manager made it clear that the midfielder will not be rushed back into regular action until he is completely ready both mentally and physically after a difficult run of injuries.
Rodri, 29, has endured an interrupted campaign following the anterior cruciate ligament injury he sustained last season. Although he returned in the closing stages of the previous campaign, rediscovering consistent rhythm has proved difficult.
This season, the Spain international has featured eight times across the Premier League and Champions League, starting six of those matches. However, his minutes have been heavily restricted since he injured his hamstring against Brentford on October 5.
The midfielder attempted a brief return as a substitute against Bournemouth in early November but lasted only a minute before signalling discomfort.
Since then, City have taken a more cautious approach, especially given the recurrence of physical issues that have prevented him from maintaining the level that saw him win the Ballon d’Or in 2024.
Guardiola, speaking ahead of City’s Premier League trip to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United, confirmed that Rodri will not be involved this weekend.
He reiterated that the priority is ensuring the midfielder completes a full recovery rather than being rushed back for short-term gain.
“Rodri is progressing well,” Guardiola said. “It has been almost three weeks since his last setback, but he understands that he needs proper time to recover not just physically, but mentally as well.
With the types of problems he’s had, consistency is impossible unless we get this right. We want him fully fit for the long run.”
Rodri is one of only two absentees for City heading into the weekend, with Mateo Kovacic also sidelined after undergoing Achilles surgery.
Guardiola confirmed that the rest of the squad is available, but he expects a difficult test against a Newcastle side that has established itself as one of the most competitive teams in the division.
“Newcastle are always tough,” he said. “I don’t look at the table at this stage because it doesn’t reflect the full picture.
But playing at St James’ Park is always challenging. They are a Champions League-level team and one of the hardest opponents you can face away from home.”
City enter the weekend four points behind league leaders Arsenal after 11 matches. Guardiola highlighted that the opening months of the season, which were frequently interrupted by three international breaks, disrupted rhythm for most teams.
With the calendar now settling into a more consistent run of fixtures — typically every three or four days — he believes the campaign is entering its decisive early phase.
“In this league, nothing is decided in November,” he explained. “But from now until March, we play all the time. No more breaks, no interruptions.
This is where the real season begins. You need to stay close to the top, because when a strong team like Arsenal gets a big lead, it becomes very hard to close the gap.”
Guardiola referenced his past title battles with Liverpool, noting that dominant teams rarely drop points once they build momentum.
That is why he sees the upcoming stretch of games as vital to City’s ambitions.
“The goal is simple — reach the final months of the season with a real chance to fight for the title,” Guardiola said. “To do that, we need everyone fit, especially players like Rodri. So we won’t take risks that could hurt us later.”
With Rodri still working through his recovery program and Kovacic unavailable, City will rely once again on the depth of their midfield.
Guardiola, however, remains confident that taking a long-term view on his key midfielder is the only responsible approach if City are to compete on all fronts over the remainder of the season.
