Manchester Metropolis narrowly prevented their first defeat of the 2024/25 season on Sunday afternoon, needing a stoppage-time John Stones equaliser to disclaim Arsenal what would have been a well-known victory on the Etihad Stadium.
The two-2 draw is sufficient to hold Pep Guardiola’s males on the prime of the Premier League desk, however of extra concern to the Metropolis chief can be seeing midfielder Rodri limp off with an obvious knee damage after simply 21 minutes.
The Spanish midfielder – who not too long ago warned towards the risks of footballers being overplayed – is a massively influential member of Guardiola’s squad, with the 28-year-old attaining the longest unbeaten streak in European soccer historical past earlier this 12 months, as he went 74 video games and not using a loss earlier than the FA Cup closing.
Manchester Metropolis be taught extent of Rodri damage
Following the 2-2 stalemate on the Etihad, Guardiola mentioned the membership must wait to be taught the extent of Rodri’s damage after seeing him go down clutching his knee after tussling with Thomas Partey at a nook.
Now, in response to ESPN, Metropolis have acquired the information they have been dreading, as they report that Rodri will miss the rest of the season after struggling an anterior cruciate ligament tear.
Manchester Metropolis midfielder Rodri (Picture credit score: Alamy)
This comes after checks this morning confirmed the injury, with the report including that whereas additional scans are due, all indicators factors in the direction of an ACL damage and he’ll seemingly bear surgical procedure to restore the damage in Barcelona.
“Rodri is a robust man,” Guardiola mentioned following the match. “He left the pitch on this motion as a result of he felt one thing.
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“In any other case, Rodri stays there. Rodri is a vocal man, has presence… He’s the most effective holding midfielder on the planet, a possible Ballon d’Or winner, I’d find it irresistible. He’s essential. But it surely’s occurred.”
Mateo Kovacic changed Rodri from the bench and Guardiola will now seemingly should name upon the Croatian to exchange Rodri in his beginning line-up as Metropolis goal to win an unprecedented fifth straight Premier League title.
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Guardiola was capable of give a extra optimistic replace on Kevin De Bruyne following the Arsenal match, revealing his skipper might return subsequent weekend.
“I don’t assume will probably be lengthy,” he mentioned. “I gained’t say Watford [on Tuesday], I don’t know for Newcastle however I feel it is not going to be lengthy.”
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, this can be a hammer blow for Manchester Metropolis’s hopes of retaining their Premier League title, given the Spaniard’s significance within the crew. There are few gamers in world soccer who dominate their place like Rodri does (with FourFourTwo score Rodri as the most effective in his place on the planet earlier this 12 months), with Kovacic now having quite a lot of weight on his shoulders because the membership look to compete on 4 fronts.
When might Rodri return?
Pep Guardiola might be lacking Rodri for some time (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
There’s clearly no timescale simply but for when Rodri might return, relying on the severity of the damage. The Spaniard might be the remainder of the Premier League marketing campaign dominated out at least, although.
One goal might be the Membership World Cup, although. The revamped competitors is ready to launch subsequent summer time, with Metropolis one of many star sides invited.
Manchester Metropolis are prone to reveal the analysis of the damage in time.
