Manchester City are learning the hard way what life looks like without Rodri. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner is still sidelined, and while the mood inside the club remains calm, every week he stays out only underlines how important he is to Pep Guardiola’s system.

The Spanish midfielder is recovering from a hamstring injury picked up in October. On its own, that might sound like a normal muscle problem. But this is no normal case. It comes only weeks after Rodri suffered a major ACL knee injury in September 2024, and that history is shaping every decision City make now.

Guardiola has been clear: there is progress, but there will be no shortcuts.

Rodri’s Status: Still Out, Still Central To City’s Plans

For now, the situation is simple. Rodri is not available for selection. Multiple trusted outlets, mirroring the club’s own stance, confirm that he remains out as he finishes rehabilitation from that October hamstring issue.

City are handling his return with extreme care. They know his body has already been through a brutal year. First the ACL. Then, just as a comeback was in sight, the hamstring problem. This is why every step is now measured and checked.

The club’s language has been steady and controlled. There has been no talk of a new setback, no panic over a relapse. Instead, the medical team and Guardiola are framing this as a normal, if delicate, recovery from a high-risk muscle area.

For fans looking at team sheets and wondering why he is not even on the bench yet, the answer is not drama or mystery. It is caution.

“If Rodri isn’t 100%, I’d rather wait than lose him again for months.”

Pep Guardiola’s Updates: Optimism, But No Exact Date

Guardiola has offered a little more detail than usual on Rodri, but not the one thing fans crave most: a clear return date.

Speaking to media, he admitted plainly that Rodri is still unavailable, then gave a small but important hint at the timeline. As reported by Hayters, Guardiola said:

“No [he is not available] but he is getting better. I do not know how long but he is at the stage where, in a few weeks, he will be ready.”

The key phrase there is “in a few weeks”. This is not a case of “maybe tomorrow” or “we’ll see in training”. It suggests that City are still in the middle phase of his rehab, not the final sprint.

Before a Champions League game, Guardiola was even more direct about how limited his options were, saying, as reported by Fox Sports:

“Everybody is fit except Kova and Rodri. Not long [for Rodri]. Not sure but not long. In the process and timing on when he will be back. We will wait a little more to make sure he is fine.”

That sentence sums up the club’s position. They believe the end is in sight. They also believe the cost of rushing, given everything that has happened to Rodri’s knee and now hamstring, is far too high.

The Double Risk: ACL History And A Delicate Hamstring

What makes this story bigger than a simple muscle injury is the wider context. Rodri’s hamstring problem is not happening in isolation. It is being treated against the backdrop of his serious ACL knee injury in September 2024.

An ACL rupture is one of the worst injuries a footballer can suffer. It often changes a player’s body forever. Even when the knee heals, the rest of the body needs time to adjust to new loads, new movement patterns, and sometimes hidden weakness.

Guardiola has explained that this current issue is in the high-tendon muscular hamstring area. That is a sensitive zone for any elite athlete. For someone who has just come back from a major knee operation, the risk is even higher. Push too hard, too soon, and you do not just lose a few weeks. You can lose months.

That is why City are talking openly about timing, phases, and “the process”. It is not a phrase fans love to hear, but with Rodri it matters.

“You can replace goals, but you cannot fake what Rodri does in midfield.”

How Much Have City Missed Rodri?

Inside the club, there is no attempt to hide how important he is. One official club line was summed up in a simple message: “We have missed Rodri so much — but he will be back to help us.”

That is not just emotion. The numbers and performances back it up. Rodri is not only a holding midfielder; he is the rhythm of Guardiola’s side. He breaks up counter-attacks, starts attacks with one touch, and gives the back four and goalkeeper a constant outlet.

Without him, City often lose a bit of control:

• Opponents find more space between midfield and defence.
• City’s build-up looks rushed or forced at times.
• Other midfielders have to change their natural roles to cover his absence.

He is also the current Ballon d’Or winner. That award often turns into a debate about forwards and goals, but for a deep midfielder like Rodri to win it shows how the football world views his impact. When a player at that level is missing for weeks and months, the effect is always going to be visible.

Across recent games, City have managed, adapted, and still competed at a high level. But there is a reason so many analysts talk about “pre-Rodri” and “post-Rodri” versions of this team. He is the hinge between both boxes.

Cautious Plan, Phased Return: Why City Won’t Rush It

So what does “cautious” actually look like in practice for Manchester City?

Reports across several outlets line up on a few clear points:

• There has been no fresh setback with the hamstring.
• Medical staff remain optimistic about his recovery.
• The club are following a phased, conservative reintegration process.

That reintegration likely includes controlled running, ball work, strength training, then partial and eventually full sessions with the group. Only when he ticks every box — and then stays pain-free after those sessions — will they think about match minutes.

Even then, the first games back may look very managed: short cameos, lower-intensity fixtures, or home matches where City expect to dominate the ball and limit defensive sprints. Every decision will try to reduce the stress on that high-tendon area and the recently repaired knee.

City know that a wrong move here could bring the whole season plan crashing down.

“I’d rather have Rodri fully fit in April than half-fit in January.”

The Bigger Picture: Title Races, Champions League And Trust

This is not just a medical story. It directly affects the biggest competitions City care about.

In the Premier League, every dropped point matters. In the Champions League, one bad 10-minute spell can end a season. Rodri is the player Guardiola turns to when he needs calm in chaos. Without him, City rely more on system and less on that one anchor who reads danger before it happens.

That is why Guardiola’s public calm is so important. He is not only speaking to journalists; he is speaking to fans and to Rodri himself. By repeating that there is no rush, he is creating space for the player to recover without feeling pressure to be a superhero.

There are still unknowns. The Instagram caption that listed Rodri’s supposed minutes in certain games, for example, cannot yet be fully verified against official match reports in the sources used here. Any fan or analyst who needs the exact minute-by-minute record will have to cross-check it with official statistical databases or club match reports.

But the core facts are solid: Rodri is out. He is getting better. There has been no reported relapse. And Manchester City are treating his return as a long-term investment, not a short-term gamble.

What Happens Next For Rodri And Manchester City?

In the coming weeks, all eyes will be on team news graphics and training-ground photos. Has Rodri joined the main group? Is he on the bench yet? Has Guardiola hinted at a comeback date for a specific fixture?

At this stage, it would be wise to view every update through the lens Guardiola has already given: “Not long”, but also “We will wait a little more to make sure he is fine.”

For Manchester City fans, the message is both frustrating and reassuring. The wait goes on, but it is for a reason. The club is protecting a player who not only won the Ballon d’Or, but who also functions as the brain and shield of their midfield.

When Rodri does come back, the expectation is clear: he should be ready to stay back, not just for a game or two, but for the run that decides trophies. Until then, City will continue to walk the thin line between short-term needs and long-term health.

Sometimes, the bravest call in elite sport is not who you pick. It is who you are willing to protect, even when the pressure to play them is at its highest. Right now, for Manchester City, that player is Rodri.