Manchester City Suffers Major Setback: Rodri Out for the Season

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will miss the rest of the season after undergoing ACL surgery. The Spain international injured his knee during a match against Arsenal. City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed the news, emphasizing the team's need to adapt without one of their most influential players.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will miss the rest of the season after undergoing ACL surgery on Friday.

The Spain international also injured his meniscus. “This season is over (for him). We got the worst (news possible) but it is what it is,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “We are there to support him in a good recovery, step by step and move forward.”

Rodri injured his right knee on Sunday in the first half of City's 2-2 draw against Arsenal. City hoped the injury would not be as bad as first feared, but tests this week confirmed ACL damage, which can take from six months to a year to recover from.

This development deals a significant blow to the four-time defending English Premier League champions, who will now be without one of their most influential players for the remainder of the campaign. Guardiola acknowledged the challenge, stating, “We don't have a similar player, but the other players all together can replace what Rodri has given since he arrived to us. We have to do it as a team and we have to find a way to play a lot of months without an important player for us.”

Rodri is among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world. His importance to Guardiola's team was evident last term, with City losing four of nine games without him. By comparison, City lost only one of 50 games when he was in the team.

In a recent statement, Rodri warned that top players could go on strike because of the increasing number of games in the soccer calendar. The Champions League has been expanded, and next year's Club World Cup will be a 32-team event for the first time. The revamps have prompted legal challenges from players' unions.

On Tuesday, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said the risk of more injuries to top players was “almost unavoidable” because of the increased demands.