Rodri and Haaland Return To Training, Reveals Manchester City Manager Guardiola

‎Manchester City midfielder, Rodri, has returned to training for the first time since his serious knee injury in September, according to Pep Guardiola.

‎The Spain international underwent surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament. His absence was seen as a significant reason behind City’s unsuccessful bid for a fifth straight Premier League title.

‎While the 28-year-old Ballon d’Or winner’s recovery has probably come too late for this campaign, the news of his return to the grass is a welcome boost for City.

‎Guardiola also announced that their Norwegian striker, Erling Haaland, has returned to training after being out since March 30th due to an ankle injury, although he is unlikely to play in Friday’s home match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

‎Rodri will continue to be monitored by the club’s medical team, and his return date will be determined by them, Guardiola added.

‎”The moment the physio and doctor say that Rodri can start to play minutes, he will start to play minutes. But the doctors have to tell me,” Guardiola said on Thursday.

‎”It was a difficult injury. It was seven months to eleven months, more or less, the doctors said.

‎”He feels really good every day he’s making sessions and sessions, but we have to make the step to avoid making a step backward and being injured again.”

‎Haaland injured his ankle in March during Manchester City’s 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final win over Bournemouth, which caused him to miss five league matches and the recent FA Cup semi-final victory over Nottingham Forest.

City is currently fourth in the Premier League with 61 points from 34 games.

They are battling six other clubs for Champions League qualification, with the top five places already guaranteed.

‎Wolves, however, are in sensational form and arrive at The Etihad Stadium on Friday on the back of six successive wins.

‎”I’m not surprised (by Wolves’ form),” Guardiola said. “In the last few years, I think they have always had really good players, and now they’ve had an incredible run.

‎”It’s quite similar when Newcastle came a month ago and Aston Villa came. It’s another final for us. We have four finals, and now we go for the first one.”