City and Chelsea Face Key Absences in Opener

Manchester City will begin their Premier League title defense against Chelsea on Sunday, but they will be without key midfielder Rodri and young winger Oscar Bobb. Rodri, who was instrumental in City's success last season, has not trained since injuring his hamstring during Spain's Euro 2024 final win over England. Bobb, who recently fractured his leg in training, is expected to be sidelined for up to four months. Chelsea also face challenges with Ben Chilwell and Reece James likely to miss the clash due to illness and injury, respectively. Both teams are dealing with significant fitness issues as they prepare for this highly anticipated fixture.