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Manchester City have been handed a new injury concern with Rodri after the midfielder was forced off against Brentford with what looked like a hamstring injury.
The 29-year-old is continuing to search for form and fitness after an ACL injury last September and, after missing last weekend's win against Burnley with pain in his knee, he was back in the side that drew with Monaco in the Champions League.
Rodri wasn't at his best in midweek and came off after an hour, but he started again at the Gtech Community Stadium, only to clutch his hamstring just before the 20-minute mark.
He signalled to the bench that he had to come off and was treated on the pitch before being replaced by Nico Gonzalez, who had come on for Rodri at Monaco as well and has been the stand-in for the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner this season.
Pep Guardiola was asked about Rodri's fitness at his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to London and said it was unlikely he would be back to his best before the World Cup, but had no doubts that he would get there.
“Rodri is an outstanding player, everyone knows it, maybe he struggled to understand it’s not about six months or 12, the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri, this year is how to handle it," the City boss said.
“One year he has been out. The body changes, the rhythm changes, it’s a question of time, if he’s healthy he will be back.”
Rodri has been named in the Spain squad for World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria next week but could now be forced to withdraw.
City were winning 1-0 against the Bees when Rodri was forced off thanks to Erling Haaland's early goal.
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