Rodri has given Manchester City an injury scare ahead of crucial UEFA Champions League clash against Monaco on Wednesday after the Spaniard reportedly told Pep Guardiola that he is feeling pain in the same knee that kept him sidelined for eight months last season.
Softfootball reports that the Manchester City boos revealed this concerns after an eventually comfortable 5-1 win over Scott Parker’s Burnley on Saturday afternoon, as the Citizens continue their fine form following the September international break.
While performances on the field have been much more positive, injury and fitness concerns have continued to hamper the squad, with the latest revolving around Rodri who missed almost the entirety of last season through an ACL injury. The situation concerning the Spaniard dominated Guardiola’s post-match press conference.
The Ballon d’Or winner missed City’s 5-1 win over Burnley on Saturday and is a doubt for Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Monaco. Manager Pep Guardiola has vowed not to take any risks with the midfielder, who suffered a cruciate ligament injury against Arsenal last September.
After only starting two games in a year, Rodri began three in a week against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal. But after being rested for the Carabao Cup win over Huddersfield, he then reported a problem on Friday morning.
According to a post shared on Fabrizio Romano’s Facebook page, Pep Guardiola confirmed that Rodri informed him he was experiencing pain in his knee and declared himself unfit to play. The development raises serious concerns for Manchester City ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League clash with Monaco on Wednesday. The post reads:
Pep Guardiola: “Rodri told me he’s feeling PAIN IN HIS KNEE… and he CANNOT PLAY.
Rodri’s injury scare scare is a concern for Guardiola who is already without four first-team players. Summer signings Rayan Cherki and Rayan Ait-Nouri were both sidelined shortly after arriving at the Etihad, joining Mateo Kovacic in the physio’s office.
Omar Marmoush is also unavailable after picking up a knee injury while representing Egypt during the September international break. While there is hope Rodri can recover in time to play in France on Wednesday, the Spaniard remains a doubt as we await further information on his status.
