LONDON: Manchester City midfielder Rodri will not be at full fitness until after September’s international break, Pep Guardiola has revealed.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner missed most of last season due to ligament damage and without him City failed to mount a strong defense of their Premier League crown.
The 29-year-old Spanish international fought his way back to fitness but suffered a groin injury in City’s defeat to Saudi club Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup in the United States last month.
“Rodri’s getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al-Hilal and for the last five or six weeks,” Guardiola said in comments released on Saturday.
“He’s training right now and in the last two or three days is better. Hopefully maybe the international break is when he will be really, really fit.
“Hopefully, in the games (prior to that) he can play some minutes but the important thing is to not have pain because we don’t want him to be come back and injured, come back and injured.
“We will try desperately to avoid that but he’s training the last two or three days with us and that’s good.”
The City staff are also nursing Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic back to fitness and both players joined Rodri in being left out of a pre-season game in Sicily this week.
City face Wolves in their first Premier League game of the season next weekend and then play Tottenham and Brighton before the September internationals.
Rodri will not make Manchester City return till September
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Rodri will not make Manchester City return till September
- Manchester City midfielder Rodri will not be at full fitness until after September’s international break, Pep Guardiola has revealed
Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup 2027 dates confirmed
- After a record-breaking tournament in January, the competition returns next year from Jan. 8-10
ABU DHABI: The Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup will return in 2027 following another record-breaking edition last month, and the registration window is now open.
From Jan. 8 to 10, 2027, teams from across the world will be able to compete in the eighth edition of the region’s Tournament of Choice.
The competition’s three-day format returns after a successful expansion this year that had more than 8,000 people attend Zayed Sports City across a weekend that featured 3,500 local, regional and international players.
In total, 244 teams from the under-8 to under-16 categories competed in the 2026 edition, with 86 international sides, spanning 18 countries, four continents, and a record-breaking 44 girl teams.
Off the pitch, players and spectators were able to enjoy the City Village that played host to entertainment and activations supported by the club’s partners.
This included the e& Gaming Zone, Puma pop-up and Aldar’s showcase of Fahid Island, as well as performances from a DJ and visits from special guests, including tournament ambassador and Manchester City legend Nedum Onuoha, and event host FG.
Teams will compete for the Abu Dhabi Cup, and individual age-group winners will go into a prize draw for their team to win a trip to a City Football Group club, where they will train and watch the first team in action.
Simon Hewitt, tournament director, and director of Football Operations MENA, said the 2026 edition was a “landmark event.”
“It was the first time we had expanded the tournament to three days, and the reaction to that decision was incredible. Players were able to spend more time on the pitch, take in the incredible atmosphere of the City Village, and enjoy the sights and attractions of Abu Dhabi.
“We might only be a month removed from that tournament, but the hard work in preparing for 2027 starts now. Already, teams are asking when they can register, and we expect huge competition for places from all over the world.”
