Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, has reaffirmed his intention to return this season despite suffering an ACL injury in his knee back in September.

The Spaniard, who recently won the Ballon d’Or, aims to recover in time to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place in the United States between June and July.

Rodri on His Recovery Timeline

"My goal is to return this season. I haven’t given up, but I also don’t want to make mistakes. My aim is to be back in six or seven months," Rodri shared on the podcast "The Rest is Football".

He further explained his progress: "I’m much better than I expected. I’m enjoying the rest, if that’s possible. When I got injured, I didn’t feel a ‘crack’; my knee felt stable. I thought it wasn’t very serious, and now I’m feeling optimistic. The first month and a half was tough because of the pain—I couldn’t walk—but now it’s easier."

Rodri’s injury coincides with one of Manchester City’s worst periods in decades. The team has gone six matches without a win, including five consecutive losses.