Rodri came back too early from knee injury, admits Man City boss Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola admitted Rodri returned from injury too soon but believes the key midfielder is now getting back towards his best.

Rodri sustained knee ligament damage in September 2024 – the same year he won the Ballon d’Or – and came back in May but he has struggled to regain the same level of influence for Manchester City, while he missed a chunk of this season with a hamstring injury.

“He came back too early,” said boss Guardiola. “Our desire to get him back, him especially, he came back early, that’s why it was longer. It’s a good lesson.

“Human beings have a time for recovery. There are players who can recover earlier, like Bernardo (Silva) for example or Phil (Foden), and other ones need more time. Still it’s not his best but every time his mood and his training and his playing (is improving). He’s a special player.”

The 29-year-old Spaniard’s contract runs out next summer and, asked if he would like to see him stay on, Guardiola said: “I would love (that) desperately.

“Rodri is Rodri. As much age as he has, more wiser, more understanding of the game.

“There are players that are defined on the big stages, in the difficulties, and Rodri’s one of them, like Bernie, like Ruben (Dias), like many of them that I had in the past. You cannot achieve what we achieved if you don’t have huge personalities.”

Rodri is set to play in Saturday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle as City await news on the outcome of the Football Association charge following comments he made after the draw with Tottenham earlier this month.

The Newcastle game will kick off at 8pm, giving the Magpies more time to recover from their long trip to face Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Guardiola, who has been a consistent critic of the hectic fixture list faced by clubs, hopes that will set a precedent.

“Big compliment for the Premier League to put the game to 8pm and not 3pm after this trip,” he said.

“It was a long one, come back late, and after one day you have to travel again. Now they can travel tomorrow, it’s a big difference.

“At the end, the Premier League think about the Premier League team, what they need. Hopefully the experience can be provided for the future for all the teams in England that play in Europe to have a proper rest to be ready.”

Newcastle sit down in 10th place and have lost on their last 12 visits to the Etihad but Guardiola is expecting a stern test based on what he saw in midweek.

“I saw the last game against Qarabag in the Champions League and it was exceptional,” said the Catalan.

“It was 5-0 at half-time, it could have been nine. The rhythm and the intensity and the pace they are playing is the Newcastle I remember when they started this project. Every team can drop points to everyone. It happened to all the teams.”