Rodri Injury Devastates Man City as Club World Cup Dreams Crumble

Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Rodri suffered another injury setback during Manchester City's loss against Al Hilal.

In what marked only his fifth outing since recovering from a severe knee problem that sidelined him for nearly the entire 2024–25 campaign, Rodri entered the match as a substitute after the interval but could only last 47 minutes before being withdrawn during extra-time in the 4–3 loss.

The Ballon d'Or recipient's comeback had been vital to City's resurgence this summer, but Guardiola has now confirmed the club is concerned about his physical condition once more.

"We must assess Rodri's condition as he expressed concerns about his fitness, but we require time for his recovery," Guardiola explained to the media.

The City boss was also questioned about his choice to remove key forward Erling Haaland before extra-time, once again confirming that the Norwegian striker felt unable to continue due to fatigue.

"He was extremely fatigued and requested to be taken off," Guardiola disclosed.

Despite the frustrating nature of the loss, Guardiola emphasized there were numerous encouraging aspects to draw from the performance as he looks ahead to attempting a Premier League title bid in the 2025–26 season.

"It's premature to determine," Guardiola responded when questioned about City's competitiveness for next season. "However, there were many positive elements I hadn't witnessed in the recent period. The connection among the players, our skipper [Bernardo Silva] contributed significantly, and the quality from our coaching staff.

"I sensed we were content here, the practice sessions have been excellent. [However] Al Hilal possesses tremendous talent. They are a well-rounded squad that can maintain their intensity. I hold them in high regard, but we [nevertheless] delivered a solid performance."