Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has been named in Pep Guardiola’s squad against AFC Bournemouth for the first time in eight months, after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury abruptly ended his season.
He starts from the bench alongside Ortega Moreno, Ake, Grealish, Doku, Nico, Foden, Bobb, and O’Reilly, in what marks Kevin De Bruyne’s final home game at the Etihad Stadium.
Rodri was ruled out for the season after picking up the injury against Arsenal in September 2024, but his recovery progressed unexpectedly quickly, allowing him to return to training in April.
Manchester City will face Fulham after this game to conclude their Premier League season, before heading to the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup in June.
Rodri may also feature for Spain in their UEFA Nations League semi-final clash against France on June 5.
Tonight, he is expected to make an appearance against Bournemouth as De Bruyne bids farewell to the Etihad after 10 years at the club. However, Rodri is unlikely to feature in the Club World Cup, which is scheduled for June.
Manchester City would rise to third of the league table should they beat Bournemouth and keep their Champions League hopes high.