Man City's worst fears realised as Pep Guardiola confirms length of Rodri's injury layoff

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Rodri will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a serious knee injury.

Rodri limped off the pitch during City's incident-packed 2-2 draw against Arsenal last weekend and Guardiola has confirmed that he sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament - a dreaded diagnosis for an athlete. The key midfielder flew to his native Spain on Monday to see specialist Dr Ramon Cugat, who has now carried out surgery.

"He had surgery this morning - ACL and some meniscus," Guardiola said. "So, next season he will be here. This season is over (for him)."

Rodri's cruel injury came just days after he warned that the sheer number of matches in the schedule was unsustainable. The 28-year-old suggested players could be forced to go on strike.

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Asked about a strike, he said: "I think we're close to that. It's the general opinion of the players, and if it keeps this way, we'll have no other option. I really think it's something that worries us. We are the guys who suffer.”

Rodri had been a near ever-present for City until this season, providing a crucial pillar of Guardiola's all-conquering side. City have won the past four Premier League titles and completed an historic Treble in the 2022/23 campaign thanks in part to his brilliant, consistent performances.

But after helping Spain beat England in the final of Euro 2024, he warned about the impact of the congested fixture list.

He said: "From my experience, I can tell you that 60 or 70 games – no. Between 40 and 50 is the amount of games in which a player can perform at the highest level. After that you drop because it's impossible to sustain the physical level.

"This year we're maybe going to go until 70 or maybe 80. In my humble opinion, I think it's too much. "Someone has to take care of us because we are the main characters of this, let's say, sport, or business, whatever you want to call it.

"Not everything is about money or marketing. It's about the quality of show. In my opinion, when I'm not tired, I perform better. If people want to see better football, then we need to rest."