Pep Guardiola makes major decision for Man City following Rodri blow

Man City boss Pep Guardiola received the devastating news on Monday that key man Rodri will miss the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign following the knee injury the Euro 2024 winner suffered against Arsenal on Sunday.

The midfielder came off with an issue during the first half of the top-of-the-table clash at the Etihad Stadium and the pain the Spanish star was in left fans of the Premier League champions concerned.

Reports confirmed on Monday that Rodri will miss the rest of the season after tests revealed that the 28-year-old has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee. This is a major blow for Man City as the midfield talent has been crucial to their success since joining the Manchester outfit in 2019.

The Spaniard is in contention to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or, which shows how highly he is viewed by the football community.

This is a result of the exceptional campaign he put together last season for club and country as he added another Premier League medal to his collection while experiencing success at the Euros with Spain for the first time.

Rodri’s absence will have a big impact on what Guardiola’s team can achieve this season but the legendary coach may try and replace the 28-year-old in January.

Rodri injured his ACL during Man City’s clash with Arsenal on Sunday (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Man City could sign Rodri replacement in January

Mateo Kovacic is likely to replace Rodri in Man City’s starting 11 for the time being but Guardiola could add another defensive midfielder to his squad for the business end of the campaign in 2025.

According to Football Insider, City will look into a new midfield signing in January as Guardiola is believed to be keen on strengthening his options for the second half of the season following the news of Rodri’s injury.

It will be hard for the Premier League champions to find a player close to the quality of the Spaniard but they will need to try if they are to keep Arsenal away from stealing their crown as kings of England.