City manager Guardiola says Rodri’s knee ligament injury will be a ‘big blow’ to the club’s performances this season.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has suffered a ligament injury to his right knee and will consult specialists in Spain to determine the severity of the injury, the Premier League club have announced.
The 28-year-old Spain international limped off the pitch during the first half of City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, with reports earlier this week suggesting he could miss the rest of the season.
After City’s League Cup win over Watford on Tuesday, manager Pep Guardiola said the midfielder would be out for “a long time”.
“Manchester City can confirm that Rodri has suffered a ligament injury to his right knee,” City said in a statement on Wednesday.
“The midfielder travelled to Spain this week for specialist consultation following initial tests in Manchester. Assessments are ongoing to determine the full extent of the injury and the prognosis.
“Everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery.”
It is confirmed that Rodrigo has suffered a ligament injury in his right knee.
Everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery 🩵
More info 👇
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 25, 2024
Rodri, who won the European Championship with Spain this year, has been a key figure in Guardiola’s success at the helm of the Premier League champions.
Rodri has made 174 Premier League appearances for the club since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019, losing just 19 games in that time and winning 129.
His absence would be a major blow to City, who are aiming for a fifth successive Premier League title this season and sit top of the table with 13 points from five games.
Guardiola said the onus was on himself to find a way to cope without the midfielder.
“Rodri is irreplaceable,” Guardiola said after Tuesday’s 2-1 League Cup win over Watford.
“It’s obviously a huge blow if the team doesn’t have the best midfielder in the world for a long time, but my job is to find a solution to ensure we can remain competitive as we have been for many years.
“When one player is irreplaceable, you have to work as a team and this is what happens.”
Rodri has been touted as a potential Ballon d’Or winner after playing a huge role in Manchester City’s recent Premier League title win and Spain’s Euro 2024 success.
Everyone is here!
But… who will win? #BallonDor pic.twitter.com/SrkHBrJtuI
— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024
