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
Talwar leads on opening day of 2025 Saudi Open
- The 26-year-old from Delhi set a new course record of 8-under 64 at Dirab Golf & Country Club
RIYADH: India’s Saptak Talwar opened the first day of the 2025 Saudi Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour, with a new course record of 64 (8-under) after finishing his round with a birdie on the final hole in fading light at the Dirab Golf & Country Club.
The 26-year-old from Delhi, who has competed in only a handful of Asian Tour events since turning professional in 2021, delivered a flawless round that included four birdies on each nine, placing him at the top of the leaderboard.
In second place are American John Catlin, the defending champion and reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, and Australia’s Jack Thompson, both carding 65.
Meanwhile, rising Moroccan talent Adam Bresnu stole the spotlight as the leading Arab player on the opening day, after a strong performance that placed him firmly in contention.
Despite still being an amateur, Bresnu exemplified the Arab Golf Federation’s vision of creating clear pathways for regional talent to reach the highest levels of the professional game.
Through its partnership with the Arab Golf Federation, Golf Saudi is expanding high-level opportunities for amateur and professional Arab players.
Bresnu said: “The conditions were really good. What I liked most about the course was how firm the greens and fairways were. The greens are excellent, and I’m really happy to be here.”
“I’ll keep the same mindset. Patience is the main goal,” he added. “It’s a four-round tournament, day by day, shot by shot. My goal is simply to enjoy playing.”
Saudi Arabia players are still in contention as they progress into day two.
Shergo Al-Kurdi said: “Representing the Kingdom is amazing, the crowd support is definitely a big one. In general just being in Saudi, I always enjoy my time here and just want to perform the best I can. It’s a good place to have a nice week.”
He added: “The amount of support Saudi gives to their players is absolutely fantastic and it’s what golfers need to get into a higher level of golf. It is what is needed and they are prepared to do it. It’s very good what they’re doing.”
