Manchester City have confirmed that their pivotal Spanish midfielder, Rodri, will be unavailable for the crucial upcoming fixtures against Villarreal CF in the Champions League and Aston Villa in the Premier League due to a hamstring injury. The news comes as a significant blow to the club, which is navigating a congested schedule and already contending with the after-effects of Rodri’s return from a lengthy recovery.
Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed the absence ahead of the Champions League tie in Spain on Tuesday and the following Premier League match at home on Sunday. “I don’t think so for Villarreal or Aston Villa,” Guardiola told reporters when asked if Rodri might feature. “It’s not long, but it’s muscular and you have to be careful. We’ve tried so many times, we’ve tried to not take a risk, but we have not been able to manage that. So we will see.”
Rodri was forced off during City’s 1-0 win at Brentford FC on 5 October, his exit coming just 20-odd minutes into the match with evident discomfort in his hamstring. He subsequently withdrew from Spain’s squad for World Cup qualifying duty.
The 29-year-old had only recently returned after an extended spell out last season following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus injury in his right knee, sustained in September 2024. That context makes this muscular setback all the more frustrating for both club and player, given the delicate nature of his ongoing rehabilitation and re-integration into heavy match-load.
In March of this year, when discussing Rodri’s recovery, Guardiola referred to the midfielder as “irreplaceable,” and stressed that the careful management of his minutes was imperative. The current absence underscores how that caution was, in part, justified.
Rodri had expressed optimism shortly after the Brentford game when speaking to Sky Sports: “I’m good. I felt a little bit in the hamstring but it seems like it’s not that much. The good thing about this is the break so it will be even better in this sense to recover these days and hopefully I can be in the next game.”
However, in the time since his comments, the club’s medical and coaching staff have evidently taken a more conservative approach. The official stance prevents his return for at least the two forthcoming matches.
From City’s perspective the timing is awkward. A trip to Villarreal conjures extra significance for Rodri, as the Spanish club was among his former employers (he played there in his early professional career). Missing that fixture thus carries both sporting and personal disappointment.
The Premier League clash with Aston Villa, meanwhile, is key in the title race, further elevating the impact of his absence.
Guardiola’s acknowledgement that “we will see” hints that the club are leaving open the possibility of Rodri’s return in the near future, but for now he will not be risked. Given his prolonged lay-off last season, the club are highly unlikely to gamble with his availability. If read between the lines, the message is that City would rather sacrifice a couple of matches than jeopardise his long-term fitness.
In terms of squad implications, City will need to rely on more rotation in the defensive midfield role. Rodri’s unique blend of physical presence, positional discipline and ball-circulation ability has been central to Guardiola’s strategy for years. His absence will test City’s depth—especially in what is already a demanding period across the Premier League, Champions League and domestic cups.
Additionally, his unavailability for Spain’s qualifiers earlier in October had already raised alarm bells about his readiness to sustain full-tilt competition. The Spanish Football Federation announced that he would miss qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria due to this latest setback.