Rodri has returned to motion for Manchester Metropolis this season, however he has struggled to seek out the consistency and type that when made him a Ballon d’Or winner. With the Residents nonetheless looking for their rhythm forward of their subsequent UEFA Champions League showdown in opposition to AS Monaco, head coach Pep Guardiola offered a regarding replace on the midfielder’s situation.
After lacking the Premier League opener, Rodri labored his approach again into the aspect, that includes in 4 league matches in addition to Metropolis’s Champions League debut in opposition to Napoli. Nevertheless, he was unnoticed of the squad solely for the EFL Cup and once more for the weekend’s league conflict with Burnley, a call that raised eyebrows amongst supporters.
Requested about Rodri’s state of affairs in his post-match press convention, Guardiola provided a worrying rationalization: “Rodri, yesterday in coaching, he mentioned, ‘I’m not in a position to play. I’ve plenty of ache in my knee, I can’t play, I can’t play’. And I mentioned, ‘You can’t play? You don’t play. So, one other one goes to play’. I don’t know but, I don’t know.“
In opposition to Burnley, former Barcelona and Porto midfielder Nico González stepped into the holding position, whereas Rodri was not even on the bench for Metropolis’s 5-1 win on the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola later confirmed the problem is with the identical knee Rodri injured beforehand. “Yeah,” he admitted bluntly.
Rodri of Manchester Metropolis speaks to Pep Guardiola, Supervisor of Manchester Metropolis, after being substituted.
Again in September 2024, Rodri suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus harm in his proper knee throughout a Premier League match in opposition to Arsenal, an harm that successfully ended his season. He solely made his return late within the 2024-25 marketing campaign with restricted minutes, and now the identical knee is once more a supply of concern.
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Rodri a doubt for Champions League journey
Metropolis had been optimistic about Rodri after he managed to play in opposition to Manchester United, Napoli, and Arsenal within the area of per week, prompting Guardiola to relaxation him for the EFL Cup. However together with his proper knee as soon as once more troubling him, the midfielder is now a significant doubt for an additional key European fixture.
For Matchday 2 of the 2025-26 Champions League, Metropolis will go to AS Monaco, who opened their marketing campaign with a crushing 4-1 defeat in opposition to Membership Brugge. Except Rodri reveals vital enchancment in coaching earlier than Wednesday, Nico González is predicted to stay within the holding midfield position in Guardiola’s system.
