Manchester City’s Rodri, Erling Haaland return to training

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has returned to training for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in September, manager Pep Guardiola said on Thursday.

The Spain international’s absence following surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament has been cited as a major reason City’s quest for a fifth straight Premier League title crumbled.

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 said their Norway striker Erling Haaland is back in training, having not played since March 30 because of an ankle injury, although he is unlikely to feature in Friday’s home game against Wolves.

Rodri will now be guided by the club’s medical staff before a return date is set, Guardiola said.

“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 backwards and being injured again.”

Haaland, 24, injured his ankle in the 2-1 FA Cup quarterfinal win over Bournemouth in March and has missed five league games and Sunday’s FA Cup semifinal win over Nottingham Forest.

City are fourth in the Premier League with 61 points from 34 games in a battle with six clubs for Champions League qualification, with the top five all assured of entry.

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.”