Pep delivers his verdict on Rodri.

Pep Guardiola revealed that Rodri and John Stones have made positive progress in training, but neither is yet ready to return to Manchester City's starting lineup.

Rodri made his comeback on June 18th.

At the press conference ahead of the match against Al Ain in the second round of Group G of the FIFA Club World Cup, Guardiola confirmed the health status of his favorite player: “Rodri is improving. We can’t forget, it’s been almost nine months since that sad day. This injury usually takes 10 to 12 months to recover. He’s getting better, and playing 20 to 30 minutes would be good. I know Rodri wants to play, but we have to protect him and make sure his knee feels okay.”

Rodri came on for the final 30 minutes of the 2-0 win against Wydad on June 18th, and many Manchester City fans hope the reigning Ballon d'Or winner can start in the match against Al Ain on June 23rd.

Guardiola admitted that Rodri's appearance in the win against Wydad helped him improve, but insisted the Spanish midfielder needed more playing time. Meanwhile, Stones missed most of the 2024/25 season due to injury and spent nearly four months without playing.

The English defender was included in the squad list but did not play a single minute at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™. Guardiola admitted he wanted to observe Stones' fitness further, hoping the player would make a full recovery.

Guardiola's decisions regarding Rodri and Stones show that the manager is extremely cautious, prioritizing the long-term health of his players. Although Manchester City have high ambitions for the FIFA Club World Cup, Pep is not in a hurry to use these two players.

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Source: https://znews.vn/pep-ra-phan-quyet-ve-rodri-post1562737.html