On a night where Pep Guardiola reached his 250th win for Manchester City after a narrow 1-0 victory over Brentford, came at a cost, as star midfielder Rodri was forced off the pitch with what looked like a muscle injury. The Spaniard’s early exit took some shine off the win, leaving Pep Guardiola and the City fans holding their breath over the extent of the damage.
The worry is amplified by Rodri’s injury history. The midfielder has been managing fitness concerns since last season, notably suffering an ACL injury during the Euros while on duty with Spain. Though he returned to action earlier this season, with Softfootball earlier reporting that he was declared fit and available for selection in City’s clash against Monaco, this latest setback will only deepen fears about his durability.
Top Journalist Fabrizio Romano via his official X handle, gave an update on the former Ballon D’or winner sitaution saying:
Rodri leaves the pitch with muscle injury, bad news for Manchester City with medical staff set to assess the midfielder.
Rodri’s role in Guardiola’s system cannot be overstated. He is not just a destroyer in midfield but also the metronome who dictates tempo, transitions play, and provides crucial balance between attack and defense. Without him, City often look vulnerable, a reality that became glaringly obvious during his previous absences.
During the game Manchester City via their official X handle, confirmed that the team was forced into an early substitution in the 22nd mins of the game, after midfielder Rodri could no longer continue making way for the youngester Nico to come on, see the confirmation post below;
The club’s medical staff are set to carry out detailed scans to understand the extent of the problem. For now, City will hope it is nothing more than a minor setback. But given his injury record and the long season ahead, Guardiola may have to start thinking about rotating his midfield options more carefully.
For City fans, the timing of this injury could not be worse, as the Premier League title race and Champions League league phase intensify. If Rodri is sidelined again for any lengthy spell, it could definately alter City’s season.
