Manchester City midfielder Rodri will be out “for a long time” and will need surgery, manager Pep Guardiola has said.
The influential Spain international picked up the injury during Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.
The 28-year-old is currently at Barcelona undergoing an assessment and a full prognosis is not yet available.
There are reports that he could rule out other reasons, but, although the problem is clearly serious, Guardiola remains hopeful that it will not prove to be bad.
Man City midfielder Rodri was forced off in the first half of Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal
The City Manager said: “However, we don’t have a definitive one. He will be out for a long time, but there are some opinions that may be less than expected.
“Unfortunately he’s injured. Right now, I still can’t tell (how long) because we’re waiting for the last call from him and the doctor to know exactly what, exactly, and what kind of surgery he’s doing. request.”
Guardiola: Losing Rodri is irreplaceable
Guardiola admits Rodri leaves a big void.
He said: “We don’t want this, but we will still have a good season. I have a lot of faith in my players, I have a job to find a solution.
“Rodri is irreplaceable and the team won’t be playing with the best midfielder in the world for a long time, so it’s a big blow for us.
“But that’s football, it’s happened, and my job is to find a solution, to be as competitive as we have been for years.”
Rodri was forced off in the first half of the draw with Arsenal after going down without contact and was seen in tears before leaving the pitch.
City salvaged a draw against 10-man Arsenal with a stoppage-time goal from John Stones maintaining their two-point lead over the Gunners at the top of the table.
Rodri starts his first Premier League season as City manage their workload after winning Euro 2024 with Spain in the summer.
According to FIFPRO, he only took 22 days off last season due to commitments to club and country.
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal
Last week, Rodri raised the possibility that the player could disrupt the growing demand due to the ever-expanding fixture list.
“I think we’re close. I think if you ask any player, they’ll say the same thing. It’s not Rodri’s opinion or anything. I think it’s the general opinion of the players.
“I don’t know what will happen, but there is concern because we are the people who are suffering.”
Rodri joined City in 2019 from Atletico Madrid and has made 260 appearances in all competitions, helping the club to four league titles as well as the Champions League in 2023.
How Rodri’s injury could affect the title race
Zinny Boswell Sky Sports:
For all the debate and deliberation over the points in Sunday’s title fight, Rodri’s injury could be the most consequential incident of the rest of the season.
Rodri was arguably the most influential figure in town in the second half of Pep Guardiola’s reign.
City are unbeaten in a Premier League match that has started since February 2023. Four of their 11 matches have resulted in defeat.
The current champions will have to cope without him for an extended spell for the first time since he joined from Atletico Madrid in 2019.
Guardiola has options to replace Rodri, with Mateo Kovacic a player likely to deputize in midfield, but City are certainly weaker without the 28-year-old.
It is no coincidence that City have won four titles in a row with Rodri almost now. He is the heartbeat of the team.
Man City’s remaining matches in 2024
Newcastle (A) – Premier League – Saturday 28 September
Slovan Bratislava (A) – Champions League – Tuesday 1 October
Fulham (H) – Premier League – Saturday 5 October
Wolf (A) – Premier League – Sunday 20 October, live on Sky Sports
Sparta Prague (H) – Champions League – Wednesday 23 October
Southampton (H) – Premier League – Saturday 26 October
Bournemouth (A) – Premier League – Saturday 2 November
Sport Lisbon (A) – Champions League – Tuesday 5 November
Brighton (A) – Premier League – Friday 9 November, live on Sky Sports
Tottenham (H) – Premier League – Saturday, November 23, live on Sky Sports
Feyenoord (H) – Champions League – Tuesday 26 November
Liverpool (A) – Premier League – Sunday 1 December, live on Sky Sports
Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League – Wednesday 4 December
Crystal Palace (A) – Premier League – Saturday 7 December
Juventus (A) – Champions League – Wednesday 11 December
Manchester United (H) – Premier League – Saturday 14 December
Aston Villa (A) – Premier League – Saturday 21 December
Everton (H) – Premier League – Thursday 26 December
Leicester City (A) – Premier League – Sunday 29 December
