Spain head coach refuses to be drawn on whether the midfielder will start against Turkey
Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri has said he is only focused on getting back on the pitch and to his best after a long struggle with injury, saying the Ballon d’Or award he won last year is of “no use” to him.
Rodri ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament last autumn, shortly before being named the world’s best player. While the award was an incredible moment in his career, Rodri said his long-term injury was “much more significant”.
“I’m happy for the recognition, but it’s of no use to me,” said Rodri. “I still want to be the same player. Above all, when you go through this process on a mental level, I want to return to my level, I want to enjoy football again. That’s my only goal.”
Rodri returned to the pitch towards the end of last season, in May, after eight months away. However, he is still working his way back to full fitness. He faced a frustrating setback during the Club World Cup with City earlier in the summer, leaving the pitch after being subbed on against Al-Hilal, a match Pep Guardiola’s side ultimately lost to exit the competition.
City’s midfield maestro has since begun the recovery process once more, making two appearances for the club in the Premier League this season. He also featured for Spain as a substitute in their 3-0 win over Bulgaria on Thursday and is in contention to start against Turkey in Istanbul on Sunday.
“So far I’ve played two matches with my club, one for 90 minutes,” said Rodri. “I’m going as fast as I can, getting back into shape.”
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente refused to be drawn on whether or not the midfielder would start against Turkey.
“We’ll see how the training session goes but he’s in perfect condition,” said De la Fuente. “He could start the game or not. The most important news is that he’s here to give us a lot of joy.”
