Pep Guardiola, the manager of Man City, has confirmed that Rodri's season is over due to injury : newsdaily500.blogspot.com

Pep Guardiola, the manager of Man City, has confirmed that Rodri's season is over due to injury.

With an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained against Arsenal last Sunday, Rodri will be out for the remainder of the Manchester City season. "This season is over [for him]," stated Pep Guardiola.

After suffering a knee injury during Sunday's 2-2 Premier League match with Arsenal, the midfield player had surgery.

Ahead of City's trip to Newcastle on Friday, Guardiola stated at a news conference, "He had surgery this morning, ACL and some meniscus."

"At this point, things are as they are, even if we regrettably received the worst [news]. Unfortunately, that does happen occasionally. Our only purpose is to assist him in getting well and moving on, step by step.

"We don't have a player that is comparable to what he brings us, but all of the other players can take his position as he has been with us from the beginning.

We will need to work together as a squad to play many games without the presence of a key player.

"That being said, we are stronger with him and with [Oscar] Bobb, Kevin [De Bruyne], and [Nathan] Ake. Even though it's football, we don't want it.

"As a club we have magnificent players and we will find a solution."

De Bruyne, a fellow midfielder, will also miss Saturday's match against Newcastle.

Given that the champions have won their past 48 Premier League games in which Rodri has appeared, his absence will be greatly felt.

Since joining the team in 2019, he has played a significant role in four championship teams. After helping Spain win Euro 2024, he scored the game-winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final and is one of the top candidates for this year's Ballon d'Or.

Guardiola stated: "It's a lot of months without an important player for us, everybody knows it."

Just last week, Rodri joined a number of prominent athletes in speaking out against the game's elite players' mounting fixture burden. He expressed concern that players would be "close" to going on strike due to the heavy schedule.

Guardiola stated that John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, and Ilkay Gundogan could all fill in for Rodri, but he did not rule out bolstering his defensive midfield options come January when the transfer window reopens.

Due to Rodri's injury, there has been conjecture that Kalvin Phillips, who is on a season-long loan at Ipswich, may be called up early by City.

But Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna stated he believes it's doubtful Phillips will return to the Etihad Stadium early in his remarks ahead of his team's match against Aston Villa, which will air live on Sky Sports on Sunday.

"To be honest, I haven't checked." I can't tell you for sure, but I don't think there is a recall clause.

"I am aware that the plan is for him to spend a season with us and then return to regular play on the parts of Man City, as well as ours.

"It's about him supporting our group and us assisting him in getting back to a successful position in his profession. That is still the idea, I'm sure, for all parties."