Rodri
Rodri looked understandably rusty in his cameo against Wydad AC
Pep Guardiola is planning wholesale changes for Manchester City's second game in the Club World Cup, but it will be interesting to see what he plans for Rodri as the Ballon d'Or winner continues his comeback.
The Spaniard suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury last September but fought back to return before the end of the season, playing the final seven minutes of the 3-1 win against Bournemouth in the final week of the campaign.
But the Club World Cup is where his return to match fitness will really step up a level, and he got more minutes under his belt at Lincoln Financial Field, playing half an hour as the Blues cruised to an opening win against Wydad AC.
Rodri will be happy to bank those minutes, and Guardiola revealed afterwards that the 28-year-old had wanted more, but his cameo did reveal how getting back into action isn't just about match sharpness but also about rhythm.
This wasn't the Rodri of old, although nobody expected it to be. There was a stray pass or two in there and the odd moment when he clearly lacked sharpness. There was a rustiness to his display and the challenge now is to get rid of that.
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“Thirty minutes, step-by-step. He wants more, but it’s the first step,” Guardiola said after the game. “What your head wants, your mind, that is top. But at the same time, often you need the process, and that is very, very important.”
Guardiola had also discussed Rodri before the game and a throwaway line about his own doubts felt instructive.
"I would love to. He's not for 90 minutes and I have doubts but everybody wants to see him back," Guardiola told DAZN. "At the same time, I want to be reassured that everything is fine."
The key for Rodri is to continue getting through training unscathed and building his minutes up. The longer City spend in America in this tournament, the closer they will be to getting the midfielder at full pelt, which is something they so desperately lacked last season.
But the real target should be to have him back at 100% for the opening weekend of the Premier League season. City don't need Rodri for the next month, but for the next 10 or 11 months, and Guardiola knows no risks can be taken.
He saw the dangers of coming back from injury too soon last year, when players pushed themselves hard to help out during a disappointing season and would then break down again, creating a cycle where too many members of the squad were either sidelined or not fully fit.
The chances of picking up muscle injuries after a lengthy lay-off with a cruciate injury are increased, as well. Given the importance of Rodri to this team, that is something Guardiola will be desperate to avoid and will explain why caution might be the watchword.
City certainly coped without Rodri for an hour against Wydad AC. The standard of opposition will increase as the tournament goes on, but Tijjani Reijnders looked assured in that position. If Rodri doesn't start against Al Ain, Nico Gonzalez will get his chance to play that deeper role.
Ultimately, Reijnders and Gonzalez are competing to play alongside Rodri. But City need the best version of Rodri, and to get that they need to build up his fitness and his rhythm.