Manchester City’s clash with Arsenal saw midfielder Rodri leave the pitch early due to a knee injury, leaving fans and manager Pep Guardiola concerned about the Spaniard’s condition.
Rodri went down awkwardly after a seemingly harmless collision with Arsenal’s Thomas Partey just 20 minutes into the match, with City leading thanks to an Erling Haaland strike. Despite receiving treatment on the pitch, the midfielder ultimately shook his head towards Guardiola and limped off down the tunnel, clearly unable to continue.
After the game, Guardiola expressed his concern, noting that Rodri is typically a player who powers through discomfort. “Rodri is strong. If he’s asking to come off, it means something’s wrong,” said Guardiola. “[But] I haven’t spoken to the doctor yet. We’ll have to wait for a proper assessment.” The City boss was hopeful but cautious ahead of upcoming fixtures against Watford and Newcastle, knowing Rodri’s importance to the team. “He’s the best holding midfielder in the world, a potential Ballon d’Or winner. I’d love for him to win it,” Guardiola added.
The match itself had been physically intense, with Rodri on the receiving end of tough challenges early on. Arsenal’s Kai Havertz collided with him within just three seconds of kick-off, leaving Rodri down for two minutes. There were also other hefty tackles before the injury incident. Guardiola acknowledged the aggressive nature of Arsenal’s play, saying, “These games are always tough like that. We’re not used to it, but we handled it well.”
This match wasn’t the first time Rodri had been at the center of the Arsenal-City rivalry. He had previously criticized Arsenal’s defensive tactics and celebrated dramatically after scoring a last-minute winner against them back in January 2022. His presence on the pitch is often a defining factor in these heated encounters.
Now, with crucial games coming up — a Carabao Cup tie against Watford just 48 hours away, followed by a Premier League trip to Newcastle, and then a Champions League game versus Slovan Bratislava — Guardiola and City fans alike will be anxiously awaiting news of Rodri’s condition.
