Manchester City have been dealt a significant setback with confirmation that midfielder Rodri has sustained a ligament injury in his right knee, sidelining him for an extended period.
Rodri made his first Premier League start of the season on Sunday, following a delayed return after winning the European Championship with Spain this summer.
However, he was forced off the pitch less than 20 minutes into the match after jarring his knee awkwardly while making a run from a corner.
The seriousness of the situation was evident immediately, with Man City goalkeeper Ederson rushing from his penalty area to check on his teammate’s condition.
Medical assessments on Monday confirmed the worst: Rodri has damaged a knee ligament.
Speaking on Tuesday, manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged the gravity of the injury, stating that the Spaniard will be out for a “long time.”
Reports suggest that Rodri could miss the majority, if not all, of the remainder of the season, adding to Man City’s mounting injury concerns.
In a statement, the club said: “Manchester City FC can confirm that Rodri has suffered a ligament injury to his right knee.
“The injury was sustained during the first half of this weekend’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League.
“The midfielder travelled to Spain to seek specialist consultation this week, following initial tests in Manchester.
“Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis.
“Everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery.”
Rodri has arguably been the best player in the Premier League over the last two years and is indisputably the top player in his position worldwide.
His recent injury poses a significant setback for Manchester City’s chances of success this season, as no one can replicate his level of quality.
This situation is particularly cruel for Rodri, who harbours ambitions of winning the Ballon d’Or and recently expressed concerns about the dangers of an overloaded football calendar.
Notably, all three of City’s league defeats last season occurred while Rodri was unavailable.
However, the team did manage to win their opening four matches of this campaign without him in the starting XI.
To fill the void left by Rodri, Mateo Kovačić and İlkay Gündoğan will be expected to step up, along with Rico Lewis.
Guardiola said on Tuesday night: “Still we don’t have the definitive (diagnosis) but he will be out for a long time, a while.
“But there are some opinions that maybe it will be less than we expected.
“Unfortunately, he was injured, but right now I couldn’t tell you.
“We are waiting for the last phone calls from him and the doctors for what definitely he has and the type of surgery he has to get.”
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