Manchester City kick off their Premier League title defense this afternoon at Stamford Bridge, but Pep Guardiola faces some key absences in his squad.
Rodri, who recently returned to training after his European Championship triumph, will miss City’s opener against Chelsea. Guardiola confirmed that Rodri rejoined the team on Wednesday but hasn’t trained enough to be included in the squad for today’s match. In addition to Rodri, City will be without Oscar Bobb, who is sidelined with a fractured leg. Notably, Guardiola did not mention Jack Grealish among the absentees, despite the winger missing the Community Shield.
Bobb’s injury might pave the way for Savinho to make his full debut, while Jeremy Doku could feature on the opposite wing. Although Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, and John Stones are not expected to start, Guardiola hinted they could make appearances from the bench after returning to training this week.
City recently defeated Chelsea in a pre-season match in Columbus, but Guardiola warned that today’s encounter against Enzo Maresca’s side at Stamford Bridge will be a much tougher challenge.
