Man City's Rodri, Zinchenko out for weeks with injuries

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VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA AHEAD OF THEIR PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AGAINST ASTON VILLA, FILE FOOTAGE OF MANCHESTER CITY

SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA ENTERS NEWS CONFERENCE

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

2. DEFENDER, OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO, JOGGING AMONGST TEAM MATES DURING TRAINING SESSION

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA SPEAKING ABOUT DEFENDER OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO, SAYING:

"He had a contact with the knee and felt something in the bone and he has to stop four weeks, five weeks more or less."

(REPORTER ASKS: "Did he have to have surgery on it, can you confirm?"

GUARDIOLA REPLIES: "He had something to clean a little bit the knee, it's not a big issue but five weeks, six weeks he will be out."

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

4. MIDFIELDER, RODRI, TRYING TO WIN THE BALL IN A CIRCLE

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA SPEAKING ABOUT RODRI, SAYING:

"They told me that after the international break maybe he will be ready again."

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

6. MANCHESTER CITY TRAINING

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA SPEAKING ABOUT JOHN STONES, SAYING:

"First choice, it's not about the first choice, it's about being fit. So long time was injured in this period, long, long time, many, many injuries and that's why he could not play so when he came back last season Vinny (Vincent Kompany) and (Aymeric) Laporte was in incredible, incredible top form and in the important part of the season I wanted to give them regularity in a couple of central defenders and in this season, injury, and injury, and injury, and injury and so to take rhythm sometimes you need more time."

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (FILE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

8. MANCHESTER CITY TRAINING

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA SPEAKING ABOUT ASTON VILLA, SAYING:

"Team spirit, the quality up front, (Jack) Grealish, with (John) McGinn, with an incredible striker Wesley (Moraes) - strong so yeah, good spirit. This new promoted, after a long time and they were getting good results, looks like a good environment in the team and that's the biggest quality, one is one of the biggest qualities in one team."

STORY: Manchester City were dealt a fresh injury blow after manager Pep Guardiola confirmed on Friday (October 25) that left back Oleksandr Zinchenko and midfielder Rodri would be sidelined for a few weeks.

"He (Zinchenko) had a contact with the knee and felt something in the bone and he has to stop four weeks, five weeks more or less," Guardiola told a news conference ahead of Saturday's Premier League match against Aston Villa.

Rodri, who played in central defence in their midweek Champions League win over Atalanta, injured his hamstring in the first half and had to be substituted.

Zinchenko, meanwhile, was forced to undergo a minor surgery on his knee which could keep him out of action until December.

With an injury crisis in defence, Guardiola opted to play midfielders Rodri and Fernandinho in the back line in their last two games and he said centre back John Stones was still not completely match fit to play 90 minutes.

Speaking about the qualities of Aston Villa, Guardiola said that they have a good team spirit, quality up front and a good environment in the team.

(Production: Annette Faydenko)