Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Rodri will miss the remainder of the season for Manchester City after undergoing surgery for a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The midfielder sustained the injury early in City’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal, sparking immediate concerns about the severity of the problem. The fears were soon confirmed, with Guardiola revealing that the injury will keep Rodri out for the foreseeable future, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
City initially delayed providing an official diagnosis, but Guardiola has now clarified the situation, confirming the worst-case scenario. Rodri’s injury is not only an ACL tear but also involves some damage to the meniscus, which will require extensive recovery time.
“Rodri had successful surgery this morning for the ACL and some meniscus,” Guardiola explained. “Unfortunately, this season is over for him. He’ll be back next season.”
Acknowledging the gravity of the injury, Guardiola expressed his disappointment but remained supportive of Rodri’s recovery process. “It’s the worst news we could have received, but these things happen at this level of football,” he said. “We will be there to support him throughout his recovery, step-by-step, and move forward.”
Rodri has been a vital part of City’s midfield, and his absence will pose a significant challenge for Guardiola, who now has the task of finding a suitable replacement. While Rodri’s unique skill set makes him irreplaceable in many ways, Guardiola is optimistic that his squad will rise to the challenge as a collective unit. He mentioned experienced players like Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic as potential options to fill the gap left by the Spaniard.
“What Rodri gives us, we don’t have another player like him,” Guardiola admitted. “But the other players, working together, can replace what he has brought to the team since his arrival. We’ll have to find a way to play for several months without such an important player for us.”
When asked if he believed his current squad could cope with Rodri’s absence better than in previous seasons, Guardiola responded with a mixture of humor and confidence. “If we win, sure, we’ll say we managed without him. If we lose, everyone will say it’s because we missed Rodri,” he joked.
Despite the severity of the injury, Guardiola remained confident in his team’s ability to adapt. “Over the past few years, I’ve never had a day where I wasn’t confident in the team’s ability to handle difficult situations,” he stated. “Of course, we are stronger with Rodri, just like we are stronger with Nathan Ake or Kevin De Bruyne. But injuries happen in football, and we have to deal with them.”
The road to recovery for Rodri will be long, with Guardiola estimating the midfielder will be sidelined for eight to nine months. Even after returning, the City manager warned that Rodri could face additional setbacks as he works his way back to full fitness. “After an ACL injury, it’s not just the recovery time; you have to be careful about muscular injuries as well. That’s why it takes even longer. Rodri will get back to his best, but it’s going to take time.”
