Man City stunned! Rodri suddenly faces a new issue

Manchester City has just received disappointing news as their key midfielder Rodri unexpectedly suffered a knee injury relapse, leaving coach Pep Guardiola and the entire team anxious ahead of the crucial Champions League match against Monaco.

Rodri was absent in Man City's 5-1 victory over Burnley last weekend. The reason given was knee pain, the same area that forced him to be sidelined for up to 8 months last season due to a cruciate ligament injury sustained in the match against Arsenal in September 2024.

Coach Pep Guardiola stated he would not take any risks with his prized player, regardless of the importance of the upcoming game. Pep shared before the Champions League match with Monaco: “Rodri trained and said: ‘I can’t play. My knee hurts too much, I can’t compete, I can’t take the field.’ And I replied: ‘If you can’t play, then you can’t play.”

Amid a packed schedule, Rodri had made a strong comeback by starting three consecutive matches against Manchester United, Napoli, and Arsenal. This led Man City fans to believe the Spanish midfielder had fully recovered. However, his sudden report of problems on Friday morning caused the coaching staff to worry that the old injury might have resurfaced.

In the game against Burnley, Pep Guardiola had to deploy Nico Gonzalez as a replacement for Rodri in the defensive midfield role. Although the team secured a convincing win, everyone understood that Rodri’s absence leaves a significant gap in their gameplay. The 29-year-old star is not only a “steel shield” in front of the defense but also the starting point for smooth attacking moves by The Citizens.

Concerns are growing as Man City aims to defend their Champions League title. Ahead, they face Monaco, a team performing well in Ligue 1 with a fast-paced style. Besides Rodri, Man City’s injury list has expanded to include Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush, and Abdukodir Khusanov. This undoubtedly poses a headache for Pep Guardiola in rotating his squad.

For Pep Guardiola, replacing Rodri has never been an easy task. Nico Gonzalez might be a temporary fix, but filling the role of the current world-class midfielder is certainly not simple.

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