Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has confirmed that key midfielder Rodri will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury sustained in last Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw against Arsenal. The Spanish midfielder underwent surgery to repair his ACL and meniscus, effectively ruling him out until next season.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of City’s clash with Newcastle, Guardiola shared the disappointing news, stating, “He had surgery this morning. ACL and some meniscus. This season is over for him. Unfortunately, it’s the worst news, but at this level, injuries happen. We’ll support him throughout his recovery.”
Rodri has been a crucial player for Manchester City, helping the team to four Premier League titles since joining in 2019. His absence will be felt deeply, especially given that City has remained unbeaten in the last 48 Premier League matches where he has featured. Rodri was also pivotal in City’s Champions League victory last season, even scoring the winning goal in the final.
With fellow midfielder Kevin De Bruyne also sidelined, Guardiola faces a tough challenge to maintain City’s dominance. The manager acknowledged the difficulty of replacing Rodri, noting, “What he gives us, we don’t have a similar player. We’ll have to find solutions as a team.”
Potential replacements include Ilkay Gundogan, Mateo Kovacic, and John Stones. However, Guardiola hinted at possibly reinforcing his midfield options during the January transfer window, although speculation around recalling Kalvin Phillips from his loan spell at Ipswich remains uncertain.
City will have to navigate 14 Premier League games before January, a period that could define their season without one of their most important players.
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