Premier League champions Manchester City have confirmed that their star midfielder, Rodri, has sustained ligament damage to his right knee. The Spain international picked up the injury during City’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The club issued a statement on mancity.com, stating that assessments are still ongoing to determine the full extent of the injury, with more updates expected soon. Rodri has traveled to Spain for specialist consultation after undergoing initial tests in Manchester.
Though there were rumors that Rodri might miss the remainder of the season, City manager Pep Guardiola remains cautiously optimistic, hoping the injury is less severe than first feared. Speaking ahead of the official statement, Guardiola said, “Unfortunately, he was injured. Still, we don’t have the definitive. He’ll be out for a long time, a while, but there are some opinions that maybe it will be less than we expect.”
Guardiola admitted that losing Rodri is a significant blow, calling him “irreplaceable” and describing him as the “best midfielder in the world.” He added, “My duty is to find a solution, to be competitive like we have been for many years.”
Rodri was forced off in the first half of the Arsenal game after going down without contact and appeared emotional as he left the field. Despite this setback, Guardiola is determined to rally his squad and continue Manchester City’s strong campaign.
