Rodri's Return in the Balance: Guardiola’s Madrid Dilemma and City-Sunderland Duel
5 December 2025
Rodri's Recovery Status Ahead of Madrid Clash
Manchester City's coach Pep Guardiola has cast doubt on Rodri's availability for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Real Madrid, as the midfielder recovers from a October hamstring injury.
Rodri played only a few minutes against Bournemouth in early November and will miss this week's Sunderland game, Guardiola said.
Guardiola stated that Rodri's condition is improving, but he doesn't know when he will be ready, adding with a smile: "Ask me again in Madrid".
He had returned briefly as a substitute in the November 2 win over Bournemouth, but has since suffered a fresh muscle setback and has missed recent City matches.
Across all competitions this season, Rodri has played eight times; he is still dealing with a knee ligament injury that sidelined him for much of last season and continues to affect his availability.
Sniper line 1: If fitness updates were a sniper shot, City would still be waiting for the reticle to settle.
Sniper line 2: Guardiola's "Ask me again in Madrid" line feels like a mic drop in a press conference—stand by for Act II.
