Manchester City star Rodri could be “ruled out for the rest of the season” after reports in Spain claimed the midfielder suffered a “cruciate ligament tear in his right knee” during his side’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
According BRAND The City defender “suffered a cruciate ligament tear” during Sunday’s game at the Etihad Stadium. A “more definitive diagnosis” will be made on Monday and the midfielder “will undergo tests in Spain”.
The Spanish midfielder went down clutching his leg in agony after just 16 minutes of the Premier League clash, having appeared to twist his knee while challenging Arsenal’s Thomas Partey for the ball inside his own penalty area.
The 28-year-old writhed in pain on the ground, before appearing to fight back tears as he limped off the pitch alongside City’s medical staff.
MARCA reports that the Spanish player “is currently travelling to Madrid to undergo a new examination to confirm the severity of the injury and plans to visit several specialists to decide on the operation.”
Manchester City star Rodri could miss ‘the rest of the season’ after suffering a ‘cruciate ligament injury’
Rodri (centre) limped off the pitch during City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon
The defender’s absence could be a big blow for Manchester City, given his influence on the team.
His absence will be a colossal loss for Manchester City, with Rodri’s influence on the team having helped City to their last four Premier League titles.
It was also his goal and man-of-the-match performance during the 2022–23 Champions League final against Inter Milan that helped the Cityzens secure their first-ever European Cup.
Fears over the fitness of their star midfielder were evident after the match, with Bernardo Silva telling reporters that the Euro 2024 winner was “not feeling well”.
“I don’t know, I really don’t know,” Silva said when asked about Rodri’s condition. “He’s walking, I don’t know if there’s anything else, but we don’t know for now. I think we’ll know more tomorrow.”
‘I don’t think he left (on crutches), not now. But he left in bad shape, he wasn’t very well, he asked to be replaced. We’ll see what the doctors say.’
Mateo Kovacic came on as a substitute for City’s centre-piece, and in Rodri’s absence, Arsenal cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener, with Riccardo Califiori scoring the equaliser.
While Rodri’s absence may have had a huge impact on the match, it could also be an important moment in the title race.
With the Spaniard in the team, Guardiola’s title machine has won 74 percent of its games and lost just 11 percent.
Without Rodri, City have a 64 per cent winning record and have lost 24 per cent of their games.
Incredibly, City only lost three league games last season when Rodri was absent through suspension.
Incredibly, City only lost three league games last season when Rodri was absent through suspension.
Bernardo Silva had stated that Rodri (pictured) had left the Etihad Stadium “in bad condition” on Sunday
Many have praised Rodri for his brilliance and influence in helping guide City to their last four league titles.
In May, City suffered an FA Cup final defeat to rivals Manchester United. But it was the first time since February 2023 that Rodri had lost a game while playing for City.
The defender had put together a 74-match unbeaten run for Guardiola’s side, the most of any player in Europe, surpassing the record held by Paolo Maldini and Demetrio Albertini at AC Milan.
After the match, a concerned Guardiola was unable to provide an update on Rodri’s fitness.
“I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to the doctor,” Guardiola said of Rodri’s injury. “(But) Rodri is strong.
‘He left the field in that action because he felt something, otherwise Rodri would stay.’
Guardiola also stated that he believes Rodri is the best defensive midfielder in the world.
“He’s the best midfielder in the world. He’s a potential Ballon d’Or winner. I’d love to see him win,” added the City manager.
Rodri’s injury comes after the midfielder expressed concern about the increasing number of games players are forced to play.
He warned that some players are close to going on strike due to the tight schedule of matches.
Rodri revealed that the world’s elite players are considering striking amid concerns over scheduling
A PFA spokesman has called for players and their union to be “listened to” over fixture congestion
“I think we’re close to that,” Rodri said. “It’s easy to understand (why). Ask any player and they’ll tell you the same thing. If it continues like this, there will come a time when we won’t have any other option. It’s something that worries us.”
‘I think it’s too much. Someone has to look after us, because we are the protagonists of this sport, or business, or whatever you want to call it. It’s not all about money or marketing, it’s also about the quality of the show.’