If anyone still doubts Rodri's importance to Manchester City, the match against Arsenal in round 5 of the Premier League will be the clearest proof. The Spanish midfielder was injured and had to leave the field early in the first half.
Rodri suffered a knee injury in a seemingly harmless collision with Thomas Partey in the 20th minute. This player has been cared for by the medical team for a long time on the field but still cannot continue playing. Mateo Kovacic then came on to fill the huge void left by Rodri.
Obviously, without Rodri on the pitch, The Citizens lack a glue to their squad. The 28-year-old is considered the best defensive midfielder in the world at the moment. Not only that, Rodri also possesses many other qualities, especially creativity - an extremely important factor in Pep Guardiola's way of operating.
Man City have not lost a Premier League match with Rodri in the squad since the defeat to Tottenham in 2023. This record has now been extended to 52 matches.
With Rodri sidelined through suspension early last season, Guardiola's side have suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats to Newcastle and Wolves. Therefore, if the EURO 2024 champion has to be absent for a long time due to injury, it will be interesting to see how Man City respond. They almost lost to Arsenal because the cracks in the squad without Rodri were exposed.
After the match, Guardiola was cautious in his assessment of Rodri's injury. "I don't know, I haven't spoken to the doctor. But Rodri is very strong. He left the pitch in this phase because he felt something, otherwise Rodri would have stayed.
He is the best holding midfielder in the world. He is a potential candidate for the Ballon d'Or, I really want him to win."
Rodri will also undergo a specific injury test on Monday before the most accurate results are available, the Spaniard said. In case the 28-year-old midfielder is absent for a long time, this will be a heavy blow to Man City's ambitions this season. The Citizens' upcoming schedule is extremely difficult, with 4 matches within 12 days, spanning 3 different tournaments.
The Arsenal game was Rodri's first Premier League start this season. The 28-year-old midfielder did not play a single minute in the first 3 matches and came off the bench against Brentford.
