Rodri’s injury against Arsenal has turned out to be a nightmare injury blow for Manchester City with the Spaniard set to miss the rest of the season.
The defensive midfielder picked up an ankle injury during Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, September 22, 2024.
In a nightmare blow for the Cityzens, the 2024 Euros winner has to be prematurely subbed off after he plunged to the ground and clutched to his ankle after an accidental collision with Thomas Partey.
He was quickly attended to by Manchester City medics but was unable to continue with the game. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was forced to bring on Mateo Kovacic as the Spaniard limped off the field.
Speaking after the injury, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he could not make further inferences about the injury as the team were awaiting an update from the club’s medical department.
Now, according to multiple reports, Rodri has been diagnosed with an ACL injury and will miss the rest of the season. While details of the report have yet to be disclosed, the Spaniard is expected to spend months on the sidelines for his rehabilitation and recovery.
Rodri injury history
The latest blow could be Rodri’s worst injury scenario. According to Transfermarkt, Rodri has only missed 8 matches in his professional club career due to injury. He first picked up a muscle injury in 2019 and missed five games after being sidelined for 18 days.
His second injury blow was in 2020. It was a slight knock which only kept him on the sidelines for only one day. No match was missed. His longest injury record came in 2023 when he was sidelined for 42 days but missed only three matches.
How Rodri’s injury will affect Manchester City’s chances this season
Before the devastating blow during the Arsenal match, Manchester City already had three players on the sidelines. Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne was withdrawn at half-time during Manchester City’s 2024-25 Champions League opener against Inter Milan due to injury.
His estimated return date is uncertain. Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb are also sidelined with Rodri now being the fourth player on the list.
How Rodri’s injury will impact Manchester City
Rodri has been the cog in Manchester City’s winning machine over the years. His injury will impact the team’s chances this season.
According to BBC, Manchester City has won 74% of the matches they have played with Rodri. Conversely, they have managed a lesser win rate of 64% when he is not playing.
Beyond the stats, the 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee was a towering presence in Manchester City’s 2022-23 treble-winning campaign. He went 74 games unbeaten with Manchester City before the indomitable run ended in February 2023 following the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester United.
He has made 260 appearances for Manchester City in all competitions, scoring 26 goals. The Spaniard is renowned for his versatility and proficiency in both playmaking and defensive roles and will be greatly missed by Man City, who will be hoping to defend the Premier League title they won last season and also challenge for European silverware this season.
