For the first time since he was hurt in Sunday’s intense Premier League match against Arsenal, Rodri, a midfielder for Manchester City, was photographed leaving the team and heading into a specialised hospital clinic in Barcelona.

The Spaniard, who is favoured to win the forthcoming Ballon d’Or award, is essential to City’s style of play and consistent success. Before leaving the game in the 21st minute against Arsenal, he was left in a heap.

Following a defensive run with Thomas Partey, an Arsenal midfielder, Rodri went down, holding his right knee and requiring to be hauled off. As he exited the pitch, medical staff gave him emergency care.

Tests conducted on Monday revealed the extent of the damage, and more testing is anticipated to confirm Rodri’s months-long absence from the game.

The 28-year-old has recently been spotted travelling to Barcelona for a meeting with Dr. Ramon Cugat, an expert in injuries, to ascertain the extent of Rodri’s harm and the duration of his absence.

Rodri has been spotted arriving at hospital in Barcelona for a consultation on a knee injury

The City midfielder suffered a worrying knee injury in Sunday’s draw against Arsenal

There are concerns that Rodri might have to sit out the remainder of the season.

One plus is that Rodri arrived for the meeting on his own and with the assistance of a member of City’s medical staff, all without the need of crutches or any other kind of walking assistance.

However, considering the severity of the injury and the urgency with which City is treating it in order to obtain a world-class diagnosis, it is widely anticipated that he will miss a significant amount of time off the pitch.

Pep Guardiola will need to devise a new midfield scheme to account for the absence of arguably his team’s most vital player due to Rodri’s anticipated extended absence from action.

If Rodri is expected to suffer a serious injury, City manager Pep Guardiola will have a terrible selection dilemma.
Since February 2023, he has not been a part of a losing squad in the league. The 28-year-old improved by winning the title when he was healthy again, and all three of City’s losses from the previous season occurred during his absence.

Rodri made his season debut in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal following a prolonged summer layoff to recover from an injury sustained during Spain’s victory over England in the Euro 2024 final.

In the past, Mateo Kovacic filled in for Rodri, and Rico Lewis and Ilkay Gundogan are other options for more defensive midfield roles.

Without their best midfield player, City’s next three games against Watford, Newcastle, and Slovan Bratislava present a doable schedule.