Rodri still cannot cope with playing three games a week, says Pep Guardiola

Rodri is not able to cope with the demands of Manchester City’s rigorous schedule as he continues his comeback from a cruciate ligament injury, according to Pep Guardiola. The Spanish midfielder missed ­Saturday’s win over Burnley after stating he was not fit but will be available to face Monaco on Wednesday in the Champions League.

City’s form collapsed last season after Rodri suffered the injury against Arsenal a year ago. Guardiola is wary of overloading him at this stage and putting the midfielder at risk of the problem recurring.

“He is not injured but in the tendon he has a difficultly,” Guardiola said. “The week before was so ­demanding with [Manchester] United, Napoli and especially Arsenal and right now he’s not able to play three games in a week at a top, top, top level – top intensity, demanding opponents.

“My feeling right now is he is not ready because he needs time. This type of injury, it is minimum one year and after that you start. Be patient and he dictates. If he feels not good, it’s better to rest.”

City, who began their Champions League campaign with victory over Napoli, will be led out by the former Monaco midfielder Bernardo Silva who was appointed captain this summer after Kevin De Bruyne’s departure.

“Man City was so successful in the last eight years not because one ­captain was really good but because we have a group of great leaders,” Silva said. “Obviously as the first captain you have to make sure some things don’t happen – to create that environment but what we’ve seen is a group of great characters.

“That is what you need. My job now is to try to create that energy, that chemistry back as a group of captains – me, Rúben, Rodri, Erling – so people behave in the right way in training and in games, arrive on time to training, train properly, be in good condition, take care of themselves. That is our job.”

Monaco lost their opening Champions League fixture 4-1 to Club Brugge and come into this game after being defeated 3-1 at Lorient. The head coach, Adi Hütter, will be without key personnel for City’s visit, which will force him to select a makeshift midfield. Despite the problems, they will not be able to call upon Paul Pogba who is still not fit enough to feature after joining for free in the summer, having served an 18-month doping ban.

“We have to trust and believe that we are able to beat Man City, but for this we need an outstanding game in all directions, defensively, offensively,” Hütter said. “We have to suffer a lot, we have to fight together. Everything is possible in football.”

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