Manchester City’s Worst Nightmare
City will have a key player missing for their Premier League opener against Chelsea.
Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Hernández, one of Manchester City's crucial players, won't be available this Sunday to face Chelsea in their Premier League debut. Although the player returned to training this week, his comeback to competitive action will have to wait a little longer, as confirmed by coach Pep Guardiola.
Rodri, as he's known in the football world, was one of the last to rejoin City’s preseason after enjoying some well-deserved time off. This break came after his success in the Euros, where he played a key role in Spain’s triumph just a month ago. The rest was necessary for his physical and mental recovery, but it means that his reintegration into the team’s competitive rhythm is being handled gradually.
Despite already being back in training with his teammates, Guardiola feels it's still too early for the midfielder to return to top-level competition. The Spanish coach is known for being cautious when reintegrating players after a long break, always prioritizing the long-term health and well-being of his footballers.
"Rodri is training and doing well, but he’s not ready to play yet," Guardiola explained in a pre-match press conference. "We’ll have to see how he feels after each training session, but he won’t be available for Sunday."
Rodri's absence in such an important game as the Premier League opener against Chelsea is undoubtedly a significant loss for Manchester City. However, the team has a deep and talented squad, which allows Guardiola to handle the situation with relative calm, confident that his side can still compete at the highest level even without one of their stars on the pitch.
