Arsenal injury news as Manchester City midfielder Rodri to be out for ‘a long, long time’ with knee ligament damage
Manchester City have confirmed that Rodri has suffered serious knee ligament damage after his collision with Thomas Partey in Sunday’s Premier League showdown against Arsenal. The midfielder was taken off in the first half of the fiery match with City leading.
A statement from City confirms the bad news for Pep Guardiola’s side. “Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis,” the club write. “Everyone at the Club wishes him a speedy recovery.”
Speaking ahead of his side’s Carabao Cup third round clash on Tuesday, Guardiola said that his keystone would face a lengthy period on the sidelines. “Still, we don’t have the definitive,” Guardiola started. “He’ll be out for a long time, a while, but there is some opinions that maybe it will be less than we expect.
“Unfortunately he was injured. Right now, still, I cannot tell you [how long] because we’re waiting the last phone calls from him and the doctors to know exactly what, definitely, he has and the type of surgery that he has to get.”
Guardiola continued: “We don’t want this, but we will still have a good season. I trust a lot in my players, I have a duty to find a solution. Rodri is irreplaceable and the team won’t play with the best midfielder in the world for a long, long time. Of course it’s a big, big blow for us.
“But it’s football, it’s happened, and my duty is to find a solution, to be competitive like we have been for many years.” One minute after Rodri was taken off against Arsenal, Riccardo Calafiori equalised.
It comes as a huge blow for the reigning champions, with their form heavily impacted by Rodri’s absence last season. In the four league games he missed, City lost three of those.
Rodri has also been missing at the start of this campaign following his commitment with Spain at Euro 2024. Participation for club and country has seen the former Atletico Madrid man get very little rest over the past 12 months.
City had delayed his integration into the squad, gradually bringing him back in the buildup the Arsenal clash. For Rodri, it was only last week that he admitted footballers aren’t far from striking over complaints about the schedule.
“I think we are close to that,” he said. “I think if you ask any player he will say the same. It is not the opinion of Rodri or whatever. I think it’s the general opinion of the players.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen but it’s something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer.” In five years at City Rodri has played 260 games as well as 50 for his country.