Guardiola Confirms Rodri To Miss Manchester City's Premier League Opener Against Chelsea

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Rodri will not participate in Manchester City's first Premier League match against Chelsea. The midfielder was crucial in City's fourth Premier League title win last season, playing the most minutes on the team. He scored eight goals and assisted nine more before contributing significantly to Spain's Euro 2024 victory.

Despite Rodri's absence, City has loaned Kalvin Phillips to Ipswich Town. The champions hope the 28-year-old will return soon. Rodri hasn't been part of a Premier League defeat since losing to Tottenham in February 2023. Since then, City has played 55 matches, with Rodri featuring in 50 of them.

City's manager Pep Guardiola confirmed Rodri won't be ready for Sunday's game at Stamford Bridge. "No chance," Guardiola responded when asked about Rodri's availability. He added, "He is in training. He feels good." However, this hasn't stopped City from loaning out Kalvin Phillips.

With Rodri in the team, City has won 41 games (82%) and drawn nine. Without him, they've lost four out of five games, winning just one (20%). Their points per game drop from 2.6 with him to 0.6 without him.

Guardiola also mentioned that England players who featured in the Euro 2024 final—John Stones, Phil Foden, and Kyle Walker—are available but might not play the entire match. "I'm pretty sure they won't be ready for 90 minutes," he said. "Maybe yes, maybe 15 minutes."

The importance of having everyone back is crucial for City as they prepare for the new season. Guardiola noted that except for Oscar Bobb, everyone else is fit and ready.

Rodri returned to training late after an extended break following his achievements with Spain in Germany. His absence is a significant blow for City as they face Chelsea.

The midfielder's influence on the team's performance is evident from their statistics with and without him on the field. His presence boosts City's chances of winning significantly.

As City prepares for their opening match, they will have to cope without one of their key players. The team hopes Rodri will be back soon to help maintain their strong performance record.