Manchester City Faces Season Without Rodri

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will miss the remainder of the season after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a 2-2 draw against Arsenal. The 28-year-old sustained the injury after colliding with Thomas Partey and subsequently underwent surgery on his knee which also required some meniscus repair. Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that Rodri’s season is over.

He added that the club will support him throughout his recovery. Guardiola emphasized how crucial Rodri has been to City’s success, particularly during last season’s Premier League title run-in. City struggled in the five games Rodri missed, losing four of them and highlighting his irreplaceable role as a midfield anchor. Guardiola acknowledged that the team must work collectively to fill the void left by the Spaniard.

He emphasized that no single player can replicate what Rodri contributes to the squad. City will consider whether to sign a new midfielder in the January transfer window depending on how the team adapts in Rodri’s absence. For now, Guardiola may need to tweak his tactics by employing two holding midfielders. Options within the squad include Mateo Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, John Stones and even youngster Rico Lewis.

However, Kalvin Phillips, the closest player to Rodri’s profile currently plays on loan at Ipswich and cannot return until January. In addition to Rodri’s injury, City will also miss Kevin De Bruyne for their upcoming Premier League match against Newcastle United. The Belgian midfielder missed the Arsenal draw and may not return until after the international break in October.

Since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Rodri has been a key player for Manchester City with the team losing just 11% of the matches he has featured in compared to 24% when he has been absent.