Manchester City midfielder Rodri will miss the remainder of the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, as confirmed by manager Pep Guardiola. The injury occurred during City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal, and subsequent tests in Spain revealed the severity of the damage.
Rodri underwent surgery on Friday morning, which included ACL and some meniscus repair. Guardiola expressed the significant impact of this loss, stating, "Rodri is irreplaceable and we will be there to support him in his recovery step-by-step."
Rodri's absence is a substantial blow to Manchester City, given his pivotal role in the team. Statistics highlight his importance: City has won 74.1% of their Premier League games with Rodri in the side, compared to 61.9% without him.
This translates to 2.37 points per game with the Spaniard and 1.90 points per game without him. Since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Rodri has missed 21 Premier League games, with City losing seven of those matches—a 33% loss rate without him.
Guardiola acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting that the team must find a way to cope without Rodri. He mentioned potential replacements such as Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gündogan, and even defender John Stones. Additionally, the possibility of signing another midfielder in the January transfer window remains open, especially since last season's backup, Kalvin Phillips, is currently on loan at Ipswich Town.
The injury expert's bleak outlook suggests that Rodri may never return to his previous form, adding further concern for City. As Guardiola put it, "What he gives us, we don’t have a similar player. But the others can all together replace what Rodri has given since his arrival to us. We will have to do it as a team and find a way to play a lot of matches without an important player for us."
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