Man City Midfielder Rodri May Miss Season Due to ACL Injury

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is expected to miss the remainder of the season after tests on Monday suggested a potential ACL tear in his right knee. This injury occurred during Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal, according to ESPN's Moises Llorens.

Initially, ESPN reported that the tests had confirmed the injury as season-ending. However, they now report that further tests are being conducted to determine the full extent of the injury. David Ornstein of The Athletic also reported that while no official recovery timeline has been set, sources close to the situation believe that Rodri's season may be over.

The injury occurred in the 20th minute of the match when Rodri went down in the penalty area during a jostle for position. The incident appeared to be a non-contact injury. He limped off the field with assistance from Manchester City's medical staff and was replaced by Mateo Kovacic.

Rodri has been a key figure for Pep Guardiola's team, playing a central role in the club's success. The Spanish international, a Ballon d'Or nominee, was instrumental in Spain's Euro 2024 victory, where he was named Player of the Tournament. Last season, Rodri contributed nine goals across all competitions for City and scored the game-winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final against Inter Milan.

The midfielder's absence could be a significant blow for City. Last season, the Premier League champions lost three out of four league matches in which Rodri was unavailable.

At 28, Rodri had previously avoided major injuries, only missing eight matches due to injury since the 2019-20 season, according to Transfermarkt.com.

In a recent statement, Rodri expressed concerns over the demanding schedule faced by players in European football, noting that they were "close to going on strike" due to the increased workload. Last season, he started 58 matches for both club and country, logging over 5,000 minutes on the field.