Manchester City’s season preparations have been thrown into uncertainty after nine players were left at home for their only pre-season friendly of the summer.
City reached the last-16 stage at the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA over the summer, exiting to a shock defeat from Al Hilal in Orlando.
After a long season, the club then prioritised rest for their players, scheduling just one pre-season warm-up game against Palermo before next week’s Premier League opener against Wolves.
Pep Guardiola’s side struggled with injuries last season as they lost their four-year hold on the Premier League title, with Ballon d’Or winner Rodri ruled out for most of the campaign, while the 2024 Player of the Year Phil Foden struggled with injury and form issues as well.
Rodri poses for a photo with his Ballon d'Or award prior to the Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham.
Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images
Rodri returned for the Club World Cup, but limped off in the Al-Hilal defeat and Guardiola has now confirmed an injury setback to his star midfielder.
Rodri and Phil Foden are major doubts for Man City’s Premier League fixture vs Wolves
Speaking in Italy ahead of City’s only warm-up game this summer, Pep Guardiola confirmed that both Rodri and Phil Foden are doubts for the Premier League opener against Wolves after suffering injury setbacks since returning to training.
On Rodri, Guardiola outlined that he won’t be ‘really, really fit’ until after the September international break, in a blow to the club.
As relayed by Manchester City’s official website, the Spaniard said: “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.
“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.
Rodri reacts at full-time following the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Manchester City and Al-Hilal.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
“Hopefully, in the games [before then] he can play some minutes. But the important thing is to not have pain because we don’t want him to come back and be 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.”
Foden is more likely to make City’s first Premier League assignment of the season, however. The England international picked up a knock on his ankle, so was left out of the Palermo friendly as a precaution.
Regarding Foden’s chances of facing Wolves, Guardiola said: “Phil, hopefully, it depends on the problem but it’s a long week so hopefully.”
Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki could make Premier League debuts amid injury concerns for nine players
As well as Rodri and Foden, City left Josko Gvardiol and Claudio Echeverri in Manchester for the friendly with Palermo, stating they were ‘not fully fit’. Mateo Kovacic, ruled out of the Club World Cup, will not be back until September or October, according to Guardiola.
Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City battles for possession with Manuel Ugarte of Manchester United during the Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
Photo by Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
Summer signing Marcus Bettinelli and forgotten midfielder Kalvin Phillips were also left at home through injury. And there was no room for Jack Grealish amid links with Everton, Stefan Ortega, or James McAtee.
If the squad against Wolves next week is largely the same and no risks are taken with Foden or Rodri, Ederson is likely to start in goal ahead of new signing James Trafford, with a back four of Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Tijjani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva could link up in midfield with Omar Marmoush ahead of them in the number ten position. Guardiola must then decide on his wingers, as Rayan Cherki could be handed a Premier League debut opposite Jeremy Doku. Erling Haaland is undroppable up front.