Manchester City have been without Rodri in recent weeks and Pep Guardiola has delivered an update on the fitness of the Spaniard.
Rodri of Manchester City looks on during the Premier League match between City and Bournemouth at Etihad Stadium
Rodri is still struggling with his fitness at Manchester City
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Manchester City will be without Rodri for Saturday's trip to Newcastle and Pep Guardiola has urged the midfielder to show patience as he aims to get over his fitness issues once and for all.
The 29-year-old is struggling to stay fit after returning from a lengthy lay-off with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and his latest setback has seen him miss games against Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.
He hasn't started a game since picking up a hamstring problem against Brentford in the first weekend of October. He has played just one minute of football since then, aborting his comeback attempt after coming off the bench late on against Bournemouth.
Rodri suffered a serious knee injury in September 2024 and although he returned in the final week of last season, staying fit and hitting a level of consistency that took him to the Ballon d'Or in 2024 have proved elusive.
That's why Guardiola is being cautious with his latest return from injury and Rodri will miss the trip to Newcastle as he bids to build up his fitness.
"Rodri is making good steps, it’s almost three weeks since the last step back," said Guardiola. "He knows that he has to take the time to recover mentally and especially physically with the problems that he’s had, to be consistent from now until the end."
Guardiola will also be without Mateo Kovacic after surgery on his achilles, but everyone else is fit for a game that Guardiola expects to be difficult.
"Top, I never see the table at this stage," he said of Newcastle. "Top team, one of the toughest places, difficult games, a Champions League team. They’re doing really well. We’re ready for the challenge."
It''s the beginning of a demanding run for the Blues, who will play twice a week from now until January at least. With the three international breaks now out of the way and the action not due to pause again until March, Guardiola believes this is the moment that the season really gets underway.
"The truth is the team as strong as Arsenal in the last seasons, not just this season impacts on many things," he said.
"The feeling I had in the past when we fought incredibly against Liverpool I had the feeling they will not drop many points and if they get a lot of distance it will be difficult to catch up, similar with Liverpool last season.
"We had that moment's experience, now we have in our careers, if you take an advantage of 9-12 points, nothing is going to happen if you drop points and for the other one it is incredibly difficult. We are in November, and in November in this league nothing is final.
"What happens in February or March, be careful. But now it starts the season now. First start is when the transfer window is over in the summer. And now when the international breaks are over.
"Now will be until March we see each other every three days. Now the reason season starts. Important is to be there and to arrive at the end of the season with a chance to fight it. Winning tomorrow would be an important step for us."