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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has welcomed Rodri back into his squad but again cautioned over his recovery
Pep Guardiola warned that he does not know when Manchester City will be able to see the best of Rodri again.
The Ballon d'Or winner was injured for most of last season with an ACL injury and, while he returned to action in May, he is still struggling to put the problem behind him. Three starts in a week against United, Napoli and Arsenal appeared to signal a return to his peak, only for the player to sit out the next two games as a result.
Rodri trained and travelled to Monaco with his teammates on Tuesday, and could start at the Stade Louis II Stadium as City look to make it two wins from two in this year's Champions League. However, Guardiola does not feel that his star midfielder would currently be able to repeat a punishing spell of three matches in a week.
"Now he is not injured but the week before was so demanding with United, Napoli and especially Arsenal and right now he's not able to play three games in a week at a top level - top intensity, demanding opponents," Guardiola said. "My feeling right now is he is not ready because he needs time.
"This type of injury, it is minimum one year and after that you must be patient.. Nico [Gonzalez] made an incredible game last game and is improving day by day and [Mateo] Kova[cic] will be quite similar. Tijjani [Reijnders] can play there, and see what happens."
Guardiola also does not want to rush summer signing Rayan Cherki back from injury and will keep him out of this week's games at Monaco and Brentford to avoid aggravating the thigh injury that has kept him out for the last four weeks. However, he is optimistic about the return of the Frenchman, as well as Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Ait-Nouri and potentially Omar Marmoush in time for the home game against Everton after the October international break.
"Maybe I will swallow my words but I like many things that I see," said the City chief. "We have to improve and make steps forward in our game, not our mentality, but in the way we play we have to make a step forward.
"But we will do it. I'm so positive with that. I'm so obsessed with the team playing better and better.
"We made three points against a top side like Napoli, we have to win all the games at home and one or two away. I don't think further than that and hopefully after Brentford we will have many players back - Cherki, Khusanov, Ait-Nouri, hopefully Omar."
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