Rodri's Fitness Woes! Can Man City's Star Handle Champions League Pressure?

Manchester City fans are eagerly awaiting tonight's Champions League clash against AS Monaco, but concerns linger over the fitness of key midfielder Rodri. Manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that the Spanish international is not yet ready to play three matches a week at the highest level.

Rodri's Injury Struggles

Rodri, a Ballon d'Or winner, returned to action in May after a lengthy eight-month absence due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. However, his comeback was short-lived as he suffered a groin injury during the Club World Cup in July. This season, he has only started four games, missing out on the squad for the recent 5-1 victory over Burnley.

"The day before Burnley he didn't feel too good. Today he feels much better so we will see. It's different from the Club World Cup - now he is not injured," Guardiola explained.

Despite not being currently injured, Guardiola remains cautious about overexerting Rodri. "Right now, in my opinion if you ask me, he is not able to play three games a week at top, top level. My feeling is right now he is not ready. Because he needs time. This type of injury (to recover fully) is minimum one year."

Bernardo Silva's Return to Monaco

Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva will be returning to familiar territory as City face Monaco. The Portuguese midfielder, who won the Ligue 1 title with Monaco in 2017, has been named City captain this season. Guardiola praised Silva's impact on the squad, stating, "He cannot do better as a captain. He is one of the best in training, he is an extraordinary player, so intelligent and smart. He can play in so many positions. We're really happy to have him."

Will Rodri feature prominently in tonight's game? And how will Bernardo Silva fare against his former club? Football fans across South Africa will be watching closely.