Rodri’s hopes of winning the Ballon d’Or have taken a serious hit following a devastating knee injury. The Manchester City midfielder tore his ACL during City’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, leaving him sidelined for the rest of the season. Rodri was forced off in the 20th minute after sustaining the injury and has since traveled to Barcelona to meet with Dr. Ramon Cugat for further tests.
🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Manchester City will discuss with Pep Guardiola during the international break about whether they need to bring in additional midfielders to cover for Rodri. ✍🏻
🗞️ via @GraemeBailey pic.twitter.com/BgjfqbSym3
— City HQ (@City_HQs) September 23, 2024
The injury comes as a massive blow not only to Rodri’s individual ambitions but also to Manchester City’s hopes for the remainder of the season. Rodri, who has been instrumental for City in previous seasons, had only played 66 minutes in the Premier League this campaign. The club has lost just one of the last 76 games with Rodri in the lineup, underlining his importance to the squad.
City salvaged a point against Arsenal thanks to a late equalizer from John Stones in stoppage time, but the draw was overshadowed by Rodri’s injury. Playing with a man advantage for the entire second half, City still struggled to maintain control without their midfield anchor, signaling how crucial Rodri is to their system.
The club’s management will gather during the next international break to decide if they will have to invest in another midfielder during the winter transfer window to provide cover for the duration of Rodri’s recovery.