Rodri played for only 21 minutes before being substituted. He collided with Arsenal's Thomas Partey. Medical tests later showed that the Spanish midfielder had suffered a very serious injury, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.
With this injury, Rodri will be out for a long time and will almost certainly miss the rest of the season. ESPN also said that Rodri will undergo surgery in Barcelona.
Rodri is a very important midfielder for both Man City and the Spanish national team. He was voted the best player at EURO 2024, where Spain won the championship after defeating England in the final. In this tournament, Rodri was an indispensable link, helping Spain win all 7 matches in the tournament.
Rodri is one of the leading candidates for the Ballon d'Or award. His injury will be a big blow to Man City - the team chasing a fifth consecutive Premier League title.
Coach Pep Guardiola gave Rodri a long rest after EURO 2024, but he still showed signs of overload.
Last week, Rodri said that players were "about to" strike due to concerns about the increasing workload.
The 28-year-old played 63 times for club and country last season and the campaign runs through to the EURO 2024 final on July 14.
Asked if the busy schedule could lead to a players' strike, Rodri said: "I think we are close to that. I think if you ask any player they would say the same, it's not my opinion or anyone's.
I think that's the general opinion of the players. If we continue like this, there will come a time when we have no other choice, I really think so, but let's wait and see.
I don't know what will happen, but that's what worries us because we are the ones who suffer the most."
Rodri's opinion about the busy schedule, with many matches, is shared by many colleagues such as Alisson Becker (Liverpool) or Manuel Akanji (Man City). However, there are also some opposing opinions that it is obvious that players play a lot because it is proportional to their income.
