Spanish Media: Preliminary Examination Suggests Rodri Has Suffered an ACL Tear, Possibly Ending His Season Early

On the morning of September 23, during the match between Manchester City and Arsenal, Spanish midfielder Rodri was unfortunately injured. The preliminary examination suggests that there may be an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his right knee; however, a definitive diagnosis will only be confirmed after he undergoes further tests in Spain. According to Marca, Rodri has left Manchester for Madrid to undergo more detailed examinations to ascertain the exact nature of his injury.

If confirmed as an ACL tear, this would mean that Rodri would have to withdraw from all remaining matches of the season. Rodri’s injury poses a significant challenge not only for Pep Guardiola but also for Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the Spanish national team. Both consider Rodri an indispensable figure in their teams. Guardiola has built Manchester City’s midfield around Rodri, while de la Fuente sees him as the core of the national team.

Just shortly before his injury, Rodri had warned about the potential risks to player health posed by the current congested fixture schedule. In fact, he was one of the first to suggest last week that if things do not improve, players might consider striking.

“Indeed, I think we’ve reached that point,” Rodri responded when asked about the possibility of striking during a press conference before a Champions League match. “If you ask any player, they will give you the same answer. If our situation does not improve, we really have no choice. This is a concern we share.”