The boss says the Spanish midfielder is well aware of what he is capable of doing and when he feels the need, he will ask to come off or even miss a training session.
So long as the player is happy, Guardiola says he will allow him to dictate the pace of his return.
Asked whether Sunday’s trip to Arsenal - a third game in a week - could be asking too much of Rodri, the boss replied: “It’s a good question. I don’t know yet. But he was so smart. I know [against Napoli] the result was not over, and 1-0 is always tricky, but if he doesn’t feel good we try to talk and has to sustain and feel comfortable, so that’s better.
“ We see day by day. The important thing is he arrived two games. On Wednesday, for example, in the training schedule he didn’t feel comfortable, and he didn’t train good, but said ‘no, no. I will be fine tomorrow’ and he played extraordinary like Rodri does.
“With him on the pitch, we feel more comfortable. But of course he came from a tough injury, and we have to be alert. We will decide on Sunday how he feels.
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“He has confidence because he has his own self-confidence, it’s so, so high. Always the greatest players I ever trained in my managerial career even as a player, I see it’s here (points to head).
“In here, they are so self-confident, and Rodri is that. But the knee is completely different how you think, and the knee needs its process. As long as we are patient and we are patient with him, he will be back [to his best].
“Because being there in the middle and reading exactly what we have to do is on another level. Like Phil, last season, the best player in the world it was Rodri, and we didn’t have him.
“Having him back is important. Try not to do what happened in the States, injured again, injured again, injured again, injured again, that will be more difficult for all of us, but also for him to come back to his best.”
Watch the full press conference above.
