"He came back too early. It was our desire to get him back, him especially, and he came back early. That's why it was longer. It's a good lesson. Human beings have a time for recovery. There are players who can recover earlier, like Bernardo [Silva], for example, or Phil [Foden], and other ones need more time. Still, it's not his best, but every time his mood and his training and his playing [is improving]. He's a special player."
"I would love [that] desperately. Rodri is Rodri. As much age as he has, he gets wiser, he develops more of an understanding of the game."
Rodri suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September 2024 after colliding with Thomas Partey during a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad. He won the Ballon d'Or later that year and returned to action in May 2025 but failed to regain his earlier influence. A subsequent hamstring issue limited him to 25 appearances in 2025-26. Guardiola admitted Rodri was rushed back from the ACL, called it a lesson, and noted recovery times vary between players. Rodri has made 286 appearances since joining City in 2019 and won 11 major honours; his contract runs out next summer.
Read at Soccer News
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