Rodri issues timely injury update amid Man City’s winless run | OneFootball

Manchester City midfielder Rodri says he has not given up hope on returning to the pitch this season.

The Ballon d’Or winner suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in September and underwent surgery.

The Premier League champions have struggled in his absence, losing five games in a row and throwing away a three-goal lead in an extraordinary collapse at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

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Rodri was presented with the Ballon d’Or before Man City’s 4-0 loss at home to Tottenham (Getty Images)

City would be 11 points behind Liverpool if they lose at Anfield on Sunday and may have to consider their options in the January transfer window if results on the pitch do not improve.

"My target is to come back this season,” Rodri told Gary Lineker and Micah Richards on the ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast.

“I think in terms of my mentality it’s going to be positive for me to not give up the season and throw it.

“I don’t want to run, you know, I don’t want to make mistakes. But yeah, that’s my mentality.

“I don’t know when - In my target is six, seven months, but the physios, they will dictate."

Rodri also said he did not approve of Real Madrid and Vinicius Jr’s decision to miss last month’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.

The Spanish club cancelled their trip to the Paris awards night after it emerged Rodri had won the vote for the individual prize.

He said he and Erling Haaland had been in attendance when Lionel Messi won last year’s award.

“Well, it’s a decision of individuals or clubs in general to decide what to do,” Rodri said.

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(EPA)

“I cannot respect the decision, I always said I wouldn’t do it in the same way.

“In sport and in life, it’s important to win. But I think even more how to lose and I say always the same, it was my moment, I didn’t want to speak about others.

“They didn’t want to be there - I want to be with my club, with my family, the people that were there and clapped me and that was a fantastic moment."