The Spaniard won the 2024 men's Ballon d'Or but missed most of last season after sustaining a serious knee injury one month into the campaign. After months, he finally returned before suffering another injury setback, as Guardiola "tried to be gentle" with the playmaker.
City continued their fine Champions League form with a 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night but were without Rodri who Guardiola said cannot be rushed back to fitness without risking further injury.
"Rodri was not ready, and I wanted to be cautious.
"He doesn't feel perfect, so that's why we didn't want to take a risk. He will come up.
"These little setbacks make us realise that he needs a little more time to feel good and play football."
A late call is set to be made on his availability for Sunday when Guardiola's side face Liverpool, as second meets third in what should be an intense game between two titans of the Premier League.
Reports claim that Rodri is a doubt for the showdown between the two title rivals, but Guardiola will have the final say in his press conference ahead of the game in the coming days as fans eagerly await an update.