Manchester City midfielder Rodri has suffered an injury setback which will not see him return to full fitness until after September’s international break.
The Spain international was absent for the majority of last season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament but, after returning late in the campaign, he is believed to have sustained a groin problem during City’s Club World Cup exit to Al-Hilal last month.
“Rodri’s getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al-Hilal and for the last five or six weeks,” said manager Pep Guardiola.
“He’s training right now and in the last two or three days is better. Hopefully maybe the international break is when he will be really, really fit.
“Hopefully, in the games (prior to that) he can play some minutes but the important thing is to not have pain because we don’t want him to be come back and injured, come back and injured.
“We will try desperately to avoid that but he’s training the last two or three days with us and that’s good.”
Rodri, Phil Foden and Mateo Kovacic – who had surgery on an Achilles injury in the summer – were all left out of City’s travelling squad for the Anglo Palermitan Trophy game against Palermo in Sicily.
Asked if they would be available for next weekend’s Premier League opener at Wolves, Guardiola added: “Ninety minutes for Rodri I don’t think so.
“Phil, hopefully, it depends on the problem but it’s a long week so hopefully but Kova (is) injured until September or October. Hopefully (he will be back) earlier.”
