Rodri injury: After suffering a knee injury against Arsenal, the Man City midfielder will be "out for a long, long time" and will need surgery.
In Sunday's Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal, which ended in a 2-2 draw, Rodri was substituted during the first half.
Rodri's right knee has ligament damage, according to Manchester City, however it's yet unknown how serious the injury is.
The important Spain international was hurt during Sunday's 2-2 Premier League tie between the champions and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
"Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis," according to a statement on mancity.com. Everyone in the club is hoping for a quick recovery for him.
This week, the midfield player left Manchester for specialised consultation in Spain after undergoing preliminary testing.
Although there have been rumours that he would miss the remaining explanation, Pep Guardiola is still optimistic that things won't turn out too badly despite the fact that the issue is obviously severe.
The City manager stated, "As of right now, we don't have the definitive," before to the club's statement on Wednesday. He will be away for a while, but some people think that might not be as long as we think.
Sadly, he sustained injuries. I am unable to tell you how long it will take right now because we are awaiting his final phone calls from the physicians to determine exactly what he needs surgically and with certainty."
Guardiola: "Irreplaceable" loss is a huge blow. Rodri
"We don't want this but we will still have a good season," Guardiola said, acknowledging that Rodri leaves a significant vacuum. Since I have a great deal of faith in my guys, I must find a solution.
"The team won't play with the best midfielder in the world for a very long time because Rodri is irreplaceable. It's obviously a huge setback to us.
"But it's football, it's happened and my duty is to find a solution, to be competitive like we have been for many years."
In the first half of the match with Arsenal, Rodri went down without being touched and was forced off the pitch, looking like he was crying.
John Stones' stoppage-time goal helped City salvage a draw against a 10-man Arsenal team, maintaining their two-point advantage over the Gunners at the top of the standings.
Rodri was starting in the Premier League for the first time this year as City controlled his workload following his summertime Euro 2024 victory with Spain.
He only received 22 days of rest last season, according to FIFPRO, because of his responsibilities to both club and nation.
Rodri brought up the prospect of a player walkout last week, citing the mounting pressure on them as a result of the growing schedule.
"I believe we are getting there. Any player you ask, I believe, would say the same thing. It's not Rodri's viewpoint or anything like that. I believe that's what the players generally think," he remarked.
"I don't know what's going to happen but it's something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer."
After leaving Atletico Madrid in 2019, Rodri joined City in 2019 and has since made 260 appearances across all competitions, helping the team win four league titles and the Champions League in 2023.
How Rodri's injury might affect the Title race
Despite all the discussion and analysis around the key moments in Sunday's championship match, Rodri's injury might end up being the one that affects the team's season-long results the most.
Perhaps the most significant player for City during the second part of Pep Guardiola's tenure has been Rodri.
Since February 2023, City has won every Premier League match in which he has started. Of the 11 games he has missed, four have ended in losses.
For the first time since he came from Atletico Madrid in 2019, the champions must now deal with his absence for an extended period of time.
Mateo Kovacic, who frequently fills in at the base of midfield for Rodri, is another option available to Guardiola to replace the 28-year-old, but City will definitely be less effective without him.
Rodri has been a constant presence for City during their four-title run, so this is no coincidence. He is the team's lifeblood.
