Rodri to miss FA Cup clash with Southampton as Man City and Guardiola prepare for final push

[p]The 29-year-old, who ‌missed over seven months after a cruciate ligament tear in 2024 and has ‌suffered multiple knee and hamstring injuries this season, ‌was forced off the pitch during [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a]'s 2-1 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] ‌on Sunday.[/p][p]He missed City's 1-0 win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/burnley/z3dmTMMO/"]Burnley[/a] on ‌Wednesday, which sent [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guardiola-pep/hxNijWrJ/"]Guardiola[/a]'s side to the top of the Premier League table, ahead of Arsenal on goals scored.[/p][p]"He's better," Guardiola told reporters, ‌but said the club would not rush ⁠the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner ‌back to the field.[/p][p]"[b]We don't want to take a risk, because ​if he's injured, and we lose him the next five games. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodri/K0G8DB00/"]Rodri[/a] is so important[/b]."[/p][p]Guardiola said rotation ​and recovery would be key in the final weeks of the season with City aiming to secure the English top-flight ⁠title along with ​the FA Cup as they look to complete a domestic treble, having won the League Cup last month.[/p][embed guid="edb94365-c932-488d-99a3-8dd2b9fdd265" url="https://x.com/ManCity/status/2047382498028466237" social-type="twitter" /][p]"[b]It was so demanding, the game against Arsenal, emotionally... the people were so tired, ‌and they (took) a train for hours[/b]," the manager said.[/p][p]"It's easier because of the fact we have a lot (of players) except [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dias-ruben/OpVD3nmU/"]Ruben[/a] (Dias), Rodri and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gvardiol-josko/86K1f1fd/"]Josko[/a] (Gvardiol), the rest are fit. But of course, you think it's the last effort.[/p][p]"[b]The question is will they be ready for tomorrow to play 90 minutes or maybe extra time, with a lot of players that have a lot of minutes in their legs. That is ‌the question[/b]."[/p][p]Guardiola said his players were happy to be leading ​the hunt for their seventh league title since 2017/18, ‌but were focused on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/southampton-WdKOwxDM/?mid=QJ08pSZF"]Saturday's game[/a] against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/southampton/WdKOwxDM/"]Southampton[/a].[/p][p]"They are happy. The guys who don't play as much, not so much happy. We are just focusing on the game tomorrow," he said.[/p][p]"[b]Tomorrow will be a fantastic day. So ⁠many, many thoughts. Still ⁠I am in my ‌mind and we'll see tomorrow[/b]."[/p]