Nunes: Rodri’s Long-Term Absence is a Big Blow for City, but I Can Fill In

Manchester City midfielder Nunes has acknowledged that the long-term absence of Rodri is a significant blow to the team, but he believes he can step into Rodri’s shoes.

The official Manchester City website confirmed that Rodri suffered a right knee ligament injury during the match against Arsenal. The player has traveled to Spain for consultation with specialists after undergoing initial examinations in Manchester. He could miss the remainder of the season, which is a major setback for City’s pursuit of their fifth consecutive Premier League title and second Champions League trophy.

Pep Guardiola described Rodri as “irreplaceable,” a sentiment shared by Nunes. Nunes scored the second goal for the team in the 2-1 defeat of Watford in the Carabao Cup. Having joined City from Wolves for £47.25 million last August, Nunes has performed well in the games, sometimes operating in Rodri’s number 6 position, and he believes he can help fill the void left by Rodri’s absence.

Nunes said, “We have to fill this gap because it is a huge loss, but whoever is on the field will do a great job. When I was at Wolves, I played more as a winger, and here last year, I played more as a number 10, but during my time at Sporting Lisbon (2019/22), I always played as one of two holding midfielders, so I am now used to all positions.”

“Every time the coach puts me on the pitch, I try to help the team, but I know that other players are also ready because we have many high-quality players in our squad. We have already proven that no matter which player is absent, we have other players who are prepared and of high quality to step up. Last year, this happened with Erling (Haaland) and Kevin (De Bruyne), and we still won the championship. This year, I know we will do the same.”