Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been training with the squad as he looks to come back from the injury that ruined his season
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 01: Rodri of Manchester City during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Manchester City and Plymouth Argyle at Etihad Stadium on March 01, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 01: Rodri of Manchester City during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Manchester City and Plymouth Argyle at Etihad Stadium on March 01, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Rodri
Manchester City players are delighted to be training with Rodri again as the midfielder nears a return from the injury that ruined his season. The Ballon d'Or winner had only just returned to Pep Guardiola's side after winning the Euros with Spain when he suffered a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament that has seen him sidelined since September.
Guardiola is wary of players trying to rush back from an injury that he feels needs a minimum length of time to heal from so that the body can recover. The City coach effectively said they would do without Rodri until next season, and even then be wary that he may not be able to give as much as he has done.
However, the player has been intent from the beginning on getting back on the pitch before the end of the 2024/25 season. After beginning his rehabilitation in Madrid, he has been in Manchester for most of this year and has recently stepped up to start training sessions with the rest of the squad.
It may still be too soon for the 28-year-old to feature in the FA Cup final or their remaining two Premier League games, especially with City needing to pick up enough points to secure Champions League football for next season. Guardiola will want to minimise risks as he focuses on doing what the team need to meet their goals.
But there is still the Club World Cup next month that could serve as a handy introduction for Rodri back into the team as he looks to build himself up for next season. In what has been an 'obviously frustrating' time for him, teammate Ruben Dias is feeling positive about Rodri's return as he works with the medical staff at the club to put himself in the best possible position.
"He's got his timings. They're doing great work with him to try and manage the best way possible," said Dias.
"It's not an easy injury to come back from. He's obviously frustrated and wants to be back but hopefully we'll have him back as soon as possible with him feeling comfortable and confident."
City have struggled badly this season after losing not just Rodri but all of their centre-backs at the same time in a campaign where they have been consumed by injuries. It means the FA Cup is the only major trophy they are able to win in their regular season.
Dias thinks that City need to learn from the difficulties they have gone through, but also believes that the effort they put in to achieve unprecedented success over the past four years did not help them. After having to take their medicine, they are ready to go again.
"It was definitely the consequence of many things," he said. "One of them was the fact we won four Premier Leagues in a row and nobody has ever done that.
"Maybe this is the cost - the effort and mental discipline that is essential for the game we play. Look back enough to learn and be better but not look back enough to get dragged into what you shouldn't be dragged into. Take the positives and move forward."
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