Manchester City star Rodri has insisted he is trying to be optimistic about the future but is unsure whether he’ll return to his previous level after he returns from injury.
AS cover an interview the midfielder has given to GQ magazine in which he celebrates his Ballon D’Or victory but admits his fears for the future.
The 28-year-old is set to spend the season sat on the sidelines after suffering a cruciate ligament tear back in September. That’s already seen him spend 59 days out and miss 11 games for Manchester City.
Those numbers will rise significantly, with even modest expectations predicting that Rodri will remain out until the end of the season at least. He has, though, voiced his belief that he could make it back before then.
Manchester City will surely be advising caution, with a rushed recovery not likely to be conducive to helping the midfielder get back to the level that saw him named the Ballon D’Or winner this year.
He’s certainly aware of the dangers and admits that he’s unsure if he’ll be able to hit those heights again once he makes his return.
“I try to take the positive side of this whole situation,” he said.
“It will also help me to rest a little, to recover. The truth is that he had been playing at a very high pace for many years. In the end, I don’t know what this season would have been like, after all the wear and tear of these last few years. I don’t know if the body would have held up.
“You take things as they come, try to be optimistic and do everything possible to recover and come back as best as possible. That’s my goal.
“Honestly, I’m not too worried about whether I’m going to reach the same level. I want to return physically well, and the rest will be a matter of filming and time.”