Early team news: Rodri to make starting XI return for RB Leipzig vs Manchester City (UEFA Champions League Group Stage)

Rodri will start for Manchester City in Germany on Wednesday night in a break from his domestic three-match ban, it has been confirmed ahead of kick-off in Leipzig.

City embark on their second group stage game of the new season and travel to Saxony knowing that a win would move them three points clear at the top of their mini-league following victory on matchday one.

Pep Guardiola’s side avoided a major scare at the Etihad Stadium in their opening group game a fortnight ago, as a second-half brace from Julian Alvarez and a top-class strike from Rodri ensured the Blues recovered from a 0-1 deficit at the half-time interval.

Manchester City’s recent form has been far from convincing however, and the reigning European champions come into Wednesday night’s game off the back of consecutive defeats against Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

At Molineux last Saturday afternoon, City saw a Ruben Dias first-half own goal and Hwang Hee-chan strike cancel out a sumptuous Julian Alvarez free-kick equaliser, losing 2-1 on the day but remaining top of the Premier League by a single point.

While Manchester City were without a number of first-team mainstays that afternoon, Pep Guardiola has been boosted by the return of a number of key faces and names for the trip to RB Leipzig this week.

Rodri is available amid a three-game domestic football suspension, while Bernardo Silva and John Stones returned to full first-team training on Tuesday afternoon ahead of both tonight’s contest and the weekend visit to Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

Kevin De Bruyne is understood to be the only player unavailable for this one as the Belgium international captain continues his road to recovery after undergoing surgery on his hamstring in August.

Ahead of the release of the confirmed and official starting line-ups at the Red Bull Arena, a number of sources have began releasing snippets of Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up and matchday squad.

As per Pep Guardiola speaking during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Rodri will start for Manchester City against RB Leipzig, before missing out entirely at Arsenal on Sunday due to his ongoing suspension.

RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose, as well as Pep Guardiola, are expected to confirm their respective starting line-ups at approximately 18:45 BST on Wednesday night.

Now confirmed.