Manchester City midfielder Rodri suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury against Arsenal during Sunday’s 2-2 draw, initial scans have reportedly confirmed.
The Spaniard is one of the Premier League champions’ most important players and a lengthy absence could define what many suspect will be Pep Guardiola‘s final season in charge at the Etihad.
Guardiola called Rodri “irreplaceable” last season given the lack of similar players in City’s squad.
Here’s everything we know about his injury so far and how City could replace him.
How long Rodri could be out for
If further tests over the coming days confirm what initial scans have indicated, it is not an overstatement to say Rodri could miss the entire 2024-25 season.
The expected recovery time for an ACL tear is around six to nine months, with footballers usually at the upper end of that to allow sufficient recovery and avoid further injuries.
Exactly nine months from Sunday, when Rodri left the Etihad pitch after 21 minutes, would be 22 June 2025 – midway through City’s Club World Cup campaign in the USA but after the European season has finished.
And in the most severe cases, players can miss whole years due to ACL injuries – Chelsea‘s Wesley Fofana did not play a minute in the 2023-24 season after injuring his knee in pre-season.
In even the most optimistic outlook, it would be a shock to see Rodri before April 2025 so long as the first diagnosis is accurate.
Three ways Man City can replace Rodri
As Guardiola has said, there is no obvious replacement for Rodri in City’s first-team squad, which includes just 21 senior outfield players.
City are not currently helped by also having Oscar Bobb and Nathan Ake on the treatment table for prolonged periods, while Kevin De Bruyne is hoping to recover from his injury to return next weekend.
Rodri did not start the first four Premier League games of this season, with Mateo Kovacic utilised in the Spaniard’s place for all of those matches, either as a lone No 6 or in a pair.
Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis are the three players best suited to replace Rodri in City’s squad, but none are like-for-like replacements and come with flaws which will alter the team’s tactical structure.
Kalvin Phillips would be the most natural replacement, but he cannot be recalled from his loan to Ipswich until January and his difficulties at City have been well documented.
For now, Kovacic appears the most likely option to fill in at No 6 for City most regularly, yet his defensive shortcomings may well mean he starts alongside one of Gundogan or Lewis more often than not.
Still just 19, Lewis is the most intriguing option, with Guardiola saying after the Arsenal draw: “He can play in every position. He’s so smart. I’ve said many times, when you ask 20 players, ‘What is your position?’, ‘No I play holding midfielder’, ‘No I play winger’ – Rico plays football.”
His most obvious shortcoming is his height – with 5ft7in undoubtedly short for a defensive midfielder, liable to lose aerial battles and be physically outmuscled.
Yet his tactical intelligence, progressive passing and defensive reading of the game may well make him the best long-term replacement for Rodri if he settles into the role well.
What Rodri’s absence means for Man City’s Premier League hopes
This was always likely to be the most tumultuous season in Manchester City’s history thanks to their ongoing hearing into alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules and Guardiola’s expiring contract.
Rodri’s injury will only add to that chaos and noise, a further distraction to a team which has so often appeared bloody-mindedly focused.
Coupled with Arsenal’s continued improvement and a season which runs into July with the Club World Cup, City’s chances of winning a fifth consecutive Premier League title are constantly dwindling.
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