Pep Guardiola makes Rodri Club World Cup prediction in warning against premature return for Ballon d’Or winner | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has warned against the dangers of rushing Ballon d’Or winner Rodri back to action following the Manchester City midfielder’s length layoff due to an ACL injury.

Earlier this month, Rodri returned to individual first-team training to step up his return from an ACL tear sustained in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in September.

The 28-year-old made history by becoming the first player in Manchester City history to win the highly coveted Ballon d’Or in October, having led the Blues to a fourth successive league title in 2024 and winning the European Championship with Spain.

Guardiola has maintained a return to first-team action for Rodri is unlikely to come at any point this season, with Manchester City fighting for a place in the Premier League top four to secure UEFA Champions League qualification for the 2025-26 campaign.

City face a FA Cup quarter-final tie against Bournemouth on Sunday as Guardiola’s men look to pick up some form of silverware in a disappointing, stop-start season that will lead to some ruthless transfer and contract decisions in the upcoming transfer window.

Previewing the game in a press conference on Friday afternoon, Guardiola was pressed for an update on Rodri’s fitness and whether the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup will come too soon for the Spain international.

“I don’t know. Hopefully – I wish, I hope (that Rodri can return in time) but listen, it will be nice if he played tomorrow! But don’t do wrong decisions right now and make a step back,” Guardiola said.

“It’s an injury for – the doctors told me – seven-and-a-half, eight months, so he (Rodri) has arrived at six-and-a-half months.

“He (Rodri) is behaving really well on the pitch already but competition is completely different so we will see. Step by step, I rely on him a lot. We have to make sure he’s fine and after (that) – we’ll start to be involved.”

City will spend a month between June and July contesting in the Club World Cup in the United States, which presents a perfect chance for Rodri to be reintegrated and given minutes before the Blues begin pre-season.