Manchester City's Rodri to miss rest of season: Here's why
What's the story
Manchester City's influential midfielder, Rodri, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.
The unfortunate incident occurred during last Sunday's Premier League match against Arsenal, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed the news in a press conference on Friday, stating "This season is over [for him]."
Here's more.
Surgical intervention
Rodri undergoes surgery for ACL and meniscus injury
Rodri has undergone surgery to treat an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus injury in his knee.
Guardiola provided details about the procedure, stating "He had surgery this morning, ACL and some meniscus."
The manager also expressed his support for Rodri during this challenging time, emphasizing that the team will stand by him throughout his recovery process.
Irreplaceable loss
Guardiola acknowledges Rodri's unique contributions to Manchester City
Guardiola acknowledged the unique contributions that Rodri has made to Manchester City since his arrival in 2019.
He stated, "What he gives us, we don't have a similar player but the other players altogether can replace what Rodri has given since arriving here with us."
The manager also emphasized the need for the team to adapt and find ways to play without such an important player.
Impactful player
Rodri's absence leaves a void in Manchester City
Rodri's absence is a significant blow to Manchester City as the team has not lost any of their last 48 Premier League matches in which he has featured.
Since joining the club, he has been an integral part of four title-winning sides and scored the winning goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final.
His stellar performance also made him one of the leading contenders for this year's Ballon d'Or award after helping Spain to Euro 2024 success.
Team resilience
Guardiola expresses confidence in team despite Rodri's absence
Despite the setback, Guardiola expressed confidence in his team's ability to overcome the challenge.
He stated, "We are stronger with him and stronger with [Nathan] Ake and [Oscar] Bobb and Kevin [De Bruyne], but that is what it is. We don't want it but it is football."
The manager also revealed that De Bruyne will miss Saturday's game at Newcastle, adding another layer of complexity to their upcoming match.
Information
Rodri has made 174 Premier League appearances
Rodri has made 174 Premier League appearances, scoring 22 goals and making 21 assists. He was involed in 17 goals last season (34 appearances). Overall, Rodri has made 260 appearances for the club, scoring 26 times. He has won 11 trophies with the club.
Numbers
Rodri's crunch numbers since start of 2023-24 Premier League campaign
As per Sky Sports, since the start of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, Rodri owns 4,184 touches, completing 3,416 passes and clocking 1,042 final third passes completion.
He has won 136 times possession in the middle third of the pitch and has scored four goals from outside the box.
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
PEP đź’¬ Myself and everyone at the Club want to wish him [the Newcastle CEO, Darren Eales] the best recovery for him and his family. Hopefully, he can go through and be healthy, which is the most important thing. pic.twitter.com/ZDcVlts6Zm
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 27, 2024