Rodri stays weeks away from being prepared for Manchester Metropolis, with Pep Guardiola confirming there may be nonetheless no clear return date as Metropolis chase Arsenal within the Premier League title race.
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Metropolis are 5 factors behind the Gunners and will shut the hole this weekend if Aston Villa take factors from Arsenal in Saturday’s early kick off. The title race stays tight, with solely 12 factors separating Arsenal on the prime from Everton in tenth after 14 matches.
Metropolis might want to take one thing off Sunderland first, nonetheless.
Rodri has barely featured since struggling an ACL harm in opposition to Arsenal in September 2024. Though he returned briefly earlier than the top of final season, hamstring issues this marketing campaign have interrupted his full comeback and saved him out for 11 matches. This weekend will make 12.
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Talking forward of Metropolis’s recreation in opposition to Sunderland, Guardiola : “No [he is not available] however he’s getting higher. I have no idea how lengthy however he’s on the stage the place, in a couple of weeks, he will likely be prepared.”
Requested if the midfielder is unquestionably dominated out of subsequent week’s journey to Actual Madrid, Guardiola replied: “Ask me in Madrid.”
Metropolis’s season to date has leaned closely on the objectives of Erling Haaland, who has scored 15 of their 32 league objectives. Till Phil Foden just lately stumble on a wealthy vein of scoring type, Metropolis’s second highest goalscorer was an opposition defender who had scored two personal objectives.
The absence of Rodri has coincided with that reliance. With out him, Metropolis have lacked their regular management in midfield and have turn into extra depending on a single participant than at another level beneath Guardiola.
With their key holding midfielder nonetheless far from a return, Metropolis’s pursuit of Arsenal will proceed with out one of many central figures of their latest dominance.