Pep Guardiola has said it is his 'duty' to find a replacement for Rodri after the midfielder suffered a serious knee injury during Manchester City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal. The Spain international could miss the rest of the season, with surgery required.
Speaking after City's 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Watford, Guardiola admitted the blow was significant. 'When you are without the best midfielder in the world for a long time it is a big blow,' he said. 'When a player is irreplaceable, we have to do it as a team.'
Guardiola revealed that the exact recovery timeline is unclear. 'Still, we don't have the definitive. He'll be out for a long time, but there is some opinions that maybe it will be less than we expect,' he added, noting they are awaiting final medical advice on the surgery type.
Matheus Nunes staked his claim for more game time by scoring his first City goal against Watford. Ilkay Gundogan's return from Barcelona is expected to be crucial, while Mateo Kovacic may also see increased minutes. Youngsters James McAtee and Nico O'Reilly could feature more prominently.
City have already had to cope without Rodri this season, as he only made his first Premier League start against Arsenal following Euro 2024 involvement.
