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New Delhi: Manchester City will take on Sunderland in matchweek 15 of the Premier League on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola's side is currently second in the standings with 28 points, five behind Arsenal.
Ahead of the match, Guardiola said that he is desperate to have Rodri back in the team, and pointed to Tuesday's 5-4 victory against Fulham as an example of how much his team is missing the midfielder.
The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner has only been able to play just one minute in the last two months due to a hamstring injury, which he suffered in the victory against Brentford on October 5.
Rodri also suffered a knee ligament injury more than a year ago, and is set to miss the match against Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Guardiola said that Rodri is another level of player, and his presence is enough for the other 10 players to feel safe. "We want him. There are irreplaceable players, not just for how good they play, it's what they do for the other ones," Guardiola said.
Manchester City have a packed schedule in December with six matches before the start of 2026 and games in three competitions. Guardiola has told Rodri that he should be focused on the long-term fitness, including for next summer's World Cup, when Spain will arrive as one of the favourites in the 48-team tournament after winning the Euro 2024.
The Man City manager said that he desperately wants Rodri to come back, and the midfielder has started training sessions on the pitch, hoping that he will be back in a few weeks.
When he comes back, he has to make a preseason. He cannot play 90 minutes, 90 minutes, 90 minutes. When you injure your ACL, your body is completely different. He has a World Cup. And next season, the next season," Guardiola added.
After Sunderland, Manchester City will travel to Bernabéu for the Champions League clash against Real Madrid on December 11.
