Pep Guardiola is encouraged by Rodri returning to training with Manchester City after a long injury lay-off but does not want to rush him back.
Rodri made his long-awaited return to training on Friday, more than five months after he tore his cruciate knee ligament against Arsenal.
The Spaniard was initially ruled out for the rest of the campaign but the sight of him training got City fans hugely excited and lifted hopes of him returning to the pitch before the end of the campaign.
However, Guardiola insists that City needed to be careful about not hurrying Rodri back to action and risking a relapse of the injury. He also admitted there was a good chance of him playing a part in City’s final few Premier League games, or the latter stages of the FA Cup. City booked their place in the quarter-finals after seeing off Plymouth Argyle.
Guardiola told a press conference: “The fans must know they are not the only ones who are excited. It’s been five months, six months. But one step at a time, we don’t have to make stupid decisions to come back weeks earlier. It’s good but still he’s not close to coming back I’d say.
“But he’s touching the ball today, in the locker room making touches with the players. He feels confident, he feels more happy.
Next up, City will be in action in the Premier League when they take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
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