Pep Guardiola Delivers Crushing Blow: Rodri's 'Big Injury' Threatens to Derail Man City's Season

Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City boss, has announced that Rodri will be absent for the opening fixtures of the upcoming Premier League campaign while he recuperates from an injury sustained during the Club World Cup.

The Spanish midfielder was sidelined for most of the 2024–25 season following a severe knee injury picked up in the early stages of the campaign. Following a brief seven-minute appearance near the conclusion of the Premier League season, the Ballon d'Or recipient featured in four matches at the Club World Cup and received widespread acclaim for bringing much-needed stability to Guardiola's team after a challenging season.

However, Rodri's tournament ended on a sour note with another setback. After being introduced as a substitute in the round of 16 clash with Al Hilal, he was forced off during extra time due to a groin issue that Guardiola has indicated could be significant.

"Rodri is improving, but he sustained a substantial injury in that final match against Al Hilal," Guardiola explained. "His training has been more positive over recent days, and we're hopeful that following the [September] international window is when he'll be fully ready.

"We're optimistic he might get some playing time in these upcoming fixtures, but the crucial thing is ensuring he's pain-free because we cannot afford to have Rodri return while still carrying an injury.

"We're working hard to prevent that scenario. He's participated in our last two training sessions, which is encouraging."

Luckily for City, they face only three Premier League matches before the season breaks for international duties.

Guardiola's team kicks off the campaign with an away fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers, followed by a challenging home encounter with Tottenham Hotspur, before heading into the international pause after traveling to Brighton & Hove Albion.

City will be eager to have Rodri available when domestic football resumes. They welcome Manchester United for the derby on September 13, with a journey to Arsenal scheduled eight days afterward.