Erling Haaland is continuing to move closer to match fitness but Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola warned the club must exercise caution in a return for Rodri.
24-year-old Haaland has returned to training after suffering an ankle injury in the FA Cup victory over Bournemouth on March 30, while Rodri has not played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in October against Arsenal.
“He’s getting better,” said Pep Guardiola of Haaland in Thursday’s pre-match conference ahead of the Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
When pressed if the Norwegian striker would be involved in that match, Guardiola replied: “I don’t think so.”
While Haaland and Rodri are now back in City training sessions, a return to match fitness is not yet a reality for the Spanish midfielder.
“The moment the official doctor says Rodri can start to play minutes, after that he will start to play minutes, but the doctors have to tell me,” Guardiola said.
“It was a difficult injury. It was an injury seven to 11 months, the doctor said. Every day Rodri is making more sessions but we have to wait so he doesn’t make a step backwards and get injured again so we have to be careful.
“Every training session he feels better and when the doctor says Rodri is stable and can start to play. After that, he is going to come back.”
Guardiola said he didn’t know if Ballon d’Or winner Rodri would play again this season, and that would be a decision for the doctor.
City have four Premier League matches remaining this term and the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace on May 17 before they participate in the revamped Club World Cup, held in the United States from June 14 to July 13.
(Top image of Erling Haaland and Rodri – Michael Regan/Getty Images)