Manchester City Has Confirmed That Rodri Has Suffered An Injury, Leaving Manager Pep Guardiola Disappointed Over The Loss Of The Irreplaceable Star.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has sustained ligament damage in his right knee, as confirmed by the club on Wednesday. No specific timeline has been provided for his potential absence.

The Spanish international, who is considered a strong contender for this year’s Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world, had to be substituted after just 20 minutes in the Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday, resulting in a 2-2 draw.

Following the match, the 28-year-old Rodri traveled to Spain on Monday to seek consultation from a specialist regarding his knee issue. Manchester City has now officially announced that he has suffered a ligament injury.

The full extent and expected recovery period of the injury are still being assessed by medical professionals, according to the English champions.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed his expectation of Rodri’s absence lasting a significant period but mentioned that there were differing opinions suggesting a potentially shorter recovery time.

Guardiola stated, “We’re waiting for the last phone calls from the doctors to know exactly what he has and the type of surgery he needs,” after Manchester City’s 2-1 victory over Watford in the English League Cup on Tuesday.

City’s ambitions of clinching their fifth consecutive Premier League title this season have been dealt a major blow with Rodri’s absence. The midfielder is widely recognized as the team’s most crucial player due to his defensive contribution and ability to orchestrate their passing game.

This significance was evident last season when Manchester City suffered four defeats in nine matches across all competitions without Rodri. In comparison, they lost only one out of 50 games with him in the lineup.

Guardiola further hailed Rodri as the world’s best midfielder and deemed him irreplaceable.

Rodri sustained the knee injury during an encounter with Thomas Partey from Arsenal while jostling for position during a corner, resulting in immediate distress and the need for assistance. This match was only his second start of the season after being granted an extended break by Manchester City following Spain’s victory in the European Championship in July, where Rodri was also awarded the title of the tournament’s best player.

Just last week, Rodri expressed concerns about the excessive workload faced by top players, going as far as suggesting the possibility of strikes due to the introduction of new competitions and the addition of matches to existing tournaments within an already congested soccer calendar.

This season, the Champions League has been expanded, resulting in two additional group stage matches for each club. Furthermore, next year’s Club World Cup will feature 32 teams for the first time ever and is scheduled to take place in June and July, coinciding with the offseason of many major leagues. Such developments have prompted legal challenges from players’ unions.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag also voiced concerns on Tuesday, recognizing the high risk of more injuries occurring to top players due to the increased demands placed on them.