Manchester City must play it safe with their most important player’s return from injury | OneFootball

To say Manchester City have missed Rodri this season would be an understatement. The Ballon d’Or winner is by far and away City’s most important player. The Spanish international went down with an ACL injury during City’s 2-all draw with Arsenal in September. Since then Pep Guardiola’s side hasn’t reached the heights expected of them due to a variety of reasons. Rodri’s injury is, without a doubt, one of them.

Manchester City’s midfield general is slowly on the comeback trail from the injury. He has been pictured watching his teammates train, and he has been ever-present at Manchester City games of late. A report from Mike McGrath for the Telegraph indicated that Rodri is set to be registered in Manchester City’s squad for the latter stages of the Champions League. But while the temptation may be there to get Rodri back as soon as possible it would be better if Manchester City didn’t rush the Spanish international back before he is ready.

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Rodri is coming off of an ACL injury. Typically the timeframe for a player to return from such an injury is anywhere between 9 to 12 months. It is a serious injury and takes time to fully heal. There is also the prospect of a player picking up niggling injuries as they recover from such a serious injury. Although Rodri is City’s most important player he shouldn’t be risked until he is fully recovered from his injury. There’s nothing to gain from him coming back too early. If anything it’s too risky to bring him back early.

This fact isn’t lost on Pep Guardiola. Speaking before his team takes on Arsenal on Sunday the City manager reiterated the need for caution in regards to Rodri’s return. He told the media yesterday when asked about Rodri’s recovery: “He’s positive but I don’t know to be honest. An ACL is an ACL. Always I believe in long injuries there’s a time you must respect because of the human body. The ACL is the ACL for every football player and every athlete so there is a time. The first month he was in Madrid all the time for the surgery there and then with the doctors and the physios. Now it’s lovely to have him here in the locker room. His voice and his presence of course it is important. When he wants to travel to special places, I said to all the injured players of course you can come and it’s nice to have him. Of course, it’s good. The most important thing for Rodri now is to recover well.”

Rodri will return from the ACL injury he suffered at some point. But as Pep Guardiola urged Manchester City should take a cautious approach with his return from such a serious injury. The temptation is there to get City’s midfield general back as soon as possible. But for now the risk out weighs the gains that could be had in regards to Rodri’s fitness.