Manchester City's Rodri sees worst fears verified in heartbreaking injury blow. The Spain midfielder was pulled off during the first half of City's 2-2 tie with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, and his season may be gone, as Euro 2024's player of the tournament has sustained cruciate ligament injury.
Rodri has been sidelined for the remainder of the season after damaging his ACL in Manchester City's 2-2 draw with championship contender Arsenal. The City midfielder collapsed in agony during the first half of Sunday's game, and examinations indicated that the 28-year-old had torn an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.The news is a brutal blow to Rodri, one of Pep Guardiola's most essential players, and a big blow to City's prospects of winning the Premier League and the Champions League for the sixth consecutive time.
Rodri is scheduled to have surgery in Barcelona, but with an ACL recovery time of roughly eight months, the Spain and City midfielder's season ends after only five Premier League games. He dropped to the ground after jarring his right knee in the turf at the Etihad Stadium, and his reaction as he limped off the pitch suggested he was aware he had incurred a potentially serious reaction.
When asked about Rodri's injury after the game, Guardiola responded: "Rodri is a powerful man. If he departs the pitch in this manner, it indicates that he sensed something. Otherwise, Rodri stays there. He's a talkative man. "With his presence, he is the best holding midfielder in the world and a possible Ballon d'Or winner. I'd love it. But it (his injury) has occurred.Since joining City from Atletico Madrid for £62.8 million in 2018, Rodri has been one of the club's most consistent and impactful performers.
Last season, City lost four of the five games Rodri missed, with the Ballon d'Or contender losing only once all season, in the FA Cup final to Manchester United. Rodri scored the winning goal in City's 1-0 Champions League final victory over Inter Milan in 2023 and was instrumental in the club's record-breaking fourth consecutive league title last season.
However, as first reported by ESPN, Guardiola will now be obliged to play without Rodri, who played an important role in Spain's Euro 2024 victory despite being substituted at halftime in the final against England due to injury. Rodri was named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024 and is one of the favourites to win this year's Ballon d'Or following his remarkable performances for club and country.
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