Pep Guardiola issued a bleak timescale for Rodri’s return. (Image: Getty)
Pep Guardiola confirmed Rodri won’t play again for Manchester City this season after he suffered an ACL injury during last weekend’s draw against Arsenal.
Rodri hobbled off midway through City’s clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and reports surfaced earlier in the week that the midfielder would miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season with a knee injury.
However, there had been hope that the injury might not be as bad as first thought, with Guardiola revealing after City’s mid-week League Cup win against Watford he still didn’t know the full timescale.
But now he does and it’s the worst possible outcome as far as Guardiola is concerned.
The Catalan coach revealed on Friday afternoon that Rodri’s season is finished after he underwent surgery in Spain for an ACL injury.
Commenting on the 28-year-old, Guardiola said: “He got surgery this morning, ACL and some meniscus, so next season he will be here. This season is over.
“Unfortunately we got the worst news, but it is what it is. In that level sometimes it happens, we are here to support him with his recovery step by step and move forward…
“What he gives us, we don’t have a single player [to replace him]. But the other players, altogether can replace what Rodri has.”
Before adding: “When you have an ACL and you are out for eight or nine months, the year after you have muscular problems. That’s why it’s longer.
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Rodri has undergone surgery and will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season. (Image: Getty)
“I think Rodri will come back to his best after not just eight or nine months, but it is what it is. As a club, we have magnificent players and we will find a solution.”
One solution could see City enter the market in January and add a midfielder to their ranks to help cover Rodri’s absence – something Guardiola refused to rule out.
On the prospect of January business, the three-time Champions League winner added: “We will see, we talked today with Txiki [Begiristain] and we’ll see how it’s going. We don’t have to decide tomorrow, right? We have time to see potential problems we have, and we’ll see.”
In the meantime, City will have to make do and mend, with Mateo Kovacic being tipped as the most likely stand-in for City this term.
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Kovacic, alongside Rico Lewis, excelled in midfield at the start of the season, with Guardiola adding: “It’s one of them [Rico Lewis with Mateo Kovacic]. We have a few more. [Ilkay] Gundo can play in that position, John [Stones] and Manu [Akanji] have played in that position. So we have alternatives.”
Newcastle United away is up next for the reigning Premier League champions, but Guardiola will also be without Kevin De Bruyne for the trip, after he confirmed the Belgian will also sit out this weekend’s fixture.
On De Bruyne, Guardiola commented: “I don’t know. Before maybe the international break, or after the international break. We will see.”
City have won all but two of their previous six trips to St. James’ Park, with kick-off in the North East getting underway at 12:30pm on Saturday afternoon.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1954254/pep-guardiola-rodri-injury-return