The midfielder’s difficult comeback from a major knee injury takes another worrying turn, leaving Pep Guardiola with a fresh concern.
In a deeply worrying scene for Manchester City, midfielder Rodri was forced off the pitch with an injury just 21 minutes into Sunday’s Premier League match against Brentford. The sight of the Spaniard shaking his head in disappointment as he was substituted will fuel concerns about his long-term fitness after a previous serious knee injury.
This latest setback is a brutal blow for the 29-year-old, who has been meticulously working his way back to full fitness. He underwent surgery for an ACL injury in his right knee sustained in September 2024 and has only recently begun to feature regularly for the club again.
The incident casts a shadow over a warning issued by manager Pep Guardiola just two days earlier. On Friday, the City boss had cautioned that it might take most of the season for Rodri to rediscover his Ballon d’Or-winning form.
“Rodri will be good at the World Cup with Spain [next summer]. In the World Cup it will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri,” Guardiola had stated, managing expectations for the current campaign. “This season will be how we handle it, step by step.”
The club has been carefully managing Rodri’s minutes, having rested him for two previous fixtures before he played an hour in midweek. This early substitution at the Gtech Stadium, however, suggests his carefully laid comeback plan has hit a significant and unsettling roadblock, leaving City and its fans holding their breath for a positive update.
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