Football star Rodri, winner of the Ballon d'Or, experiences a fresh injury setback with Manchester City, causing him to miss a significant portion of the upcoming season.
Manchester City's Rodri Faces Delayed Return Due to Club World Cup Injury
Manchester City midfielder Rodri is set to miss the start of the 2025-2026 Premier League season due to a serious injury sustained during the Club World Cup. The Spanish player, who had previously recovered from an eight-month absence due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, picked up a new injury during City's 4-3 loss against Al Hilal in July [2][3].
Manager Pep Guardiola described the injury as a "big injury" and emphasized that they do not want Rodri to return injured [4]. Despite his recent training sessions with the team, Rodri is not expected to be fully fit until after the early stages of the season [2][3].
Rodri's injury occurred in July 2023, just before the start of the new Premier League season. The nature of the injury was not disclosed by Guardiola, but British media reported that it was a groin injury [5]. However, it is not the same as the one he had earlier that required an eight-month recovery [6].
Rodri's goal is to play some minutes in the first three Premier League games, but avoiding pain is a priority [7]. City's first Premier League game of the season is against Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 16.
Rodri's recovery from his recent injury is progressing, and he has been participating in the last two training sessions with the team [8]. Pep Guardiola remains hopeful that Rodri will be fully fit after the international break in September [9].
Rodri, who joined Manchester City in 2019, has been an integral part of the team, providing strength and stability in the midfield. His absence will be a significant loss for City, but the team will be looking to rally and maintain their form without him.
[1] Rodri's previous injury and recovery: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-news-rodri-injury-return-23186422 [2] Rodri's injury during the Club World Cup: https://www.goal.com/en/news/rodri-suffers-groin-injury-in-man-citys-club-world-cup-loss-to-al-hilal/14l2k8v7t23g11j0jqf2065l0 [3] Rodri's recovery timeline: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-news-rodri-injury-return-23186422 [4] Guardiola's comments on Rodri's injury: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11662/12394365/rodri-manchester-city-midfielder-suffers-groin-injury-in-training [5] British media reports on Rodri's injury: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62019129 [6] Rodri's injury is not the same as his previous one: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-news-rodri-injury-return-23186422 [7] Rodri's goals for the season: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-news-rodri-injury-return-23186422 [8] Rodri's training sessions with the team: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/man-city-news-rodri-injury-return-23186422 [9] Guardiola's hope for Rodri's recovery: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11662/12394365/rodri-manchester-city-midfielder-suffers-groin-injury-in-training
- Despite his participation in the last two training sessions, Manchester City midfielder Rodri's recovery from his recent groin injury is not expected to be complete until after the early stages of the 2025-2026 Premier League season, potentially affecting his ability to play in European leagues, such as the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
- Although Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been an essential player in the Premier League, his delayed return due to a groin injury sustained during the Club World Cup may have implications for the team's performance, particularly in football matches against strong opponents in European leagues.
