Rodri has sustained a “knee ligament injury” in a big blow to Manchester City, with worries he would be out for the remainder of the season.
The Spain midfielder and Ballon d’Or contender hobbled off in the 20th minute of the Premier League champions’ 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday after twisting his right knee.
According to a statement released by Manchester City, subsequent examinations revealed ligament injury. However, the exact degree of the injuries is unknown.
“Manchester City can confirm that Rodri has suffered a ligament injury to his right knee,” the club said.
“The midfielder travelled to Spain to seek specialist consultation this week, following initial tests in Manchester.
“Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis.”
The 28-year-old is a key member of Pep Guardiola’s squad, and the manager stated on Tuesday night that the Euro 2024 champion is “irreplaceable” as he acknowledged the midfielder will not play for a “long, long time.”
Rodri’s catastrophic injury comes only days after he warned that players may go on strike due to overwork and an increased fixture calendar.
He made 63 appearances for club and country last season, but missed the start of the current season due to a hamstring injury sustained in Spain’s Euro 2024 final triumph against England in July.
Rodri scored the goal that won Manchester City the Champions League in 2023, and he has only lost one game for the club in the last 18 months, the FA Cup final loss to Manchester United at the end of the previous season.
Guardiola called him the “best holding midfielder in the world” and a “potential Ballon d’Or winner” after he was named player of the tournament for helping lead Spain to Euro 2024 glory in the summer.
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