Poltics
Manchester Metropolis fear Rodri may miss the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury in a major blow to their Premier League title defence.
Pep Guardiola’s metronome was forced off 21 minutes into Sunday’s tempestuous 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium.
Rodri fell into a heap clutching his lawful knee after falling during a bustle alongside Thomas Partey to satisfy a corner and was helped off the pitch by medical staff.
Assessments undertaken on Monday uncovered the severity of the injury and a further round of examinations are expected to affirm that Rodri is diagram for months on the sidelines.
The Spain international will visit Dr Ramon Cugat in Barcelona for treatment and his absence will be acutely felt by Guardiola, who has built his foundations around the central midfielder.
Man Metropolis star Rodri can be diagram to miss ‘the remainder of the season’ after suffering a ‘cruciate ligament injury’
Rodri (centre) limped off during Metropolis’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon
The midfielder’s absence may indicate to be a huge blow for Man Metropolis considering his influence in the team
Rodri – a favourite to win the Ballon d’Or – has no longer been involved in a losing team in the league since February 2023, with all three of Metropolis’s defeats last season coming when the 28-year-weak was absent.
How grand will Man Metropolis miss Rodri?
With the Spaniard in the aspect, Guardiola’s title machine have gained 74 per cent of their games and misplaced handiest 11 per cent.
Without Rodri, Metropolis have a 64 per cent winning file and have misplaced 24 per cent of their games.
Rather incredibly, Metropolis misplaced handiest three league games last season when Rodri had been absent thru suspension.
Rodri’s file 74-match unbeaten streak with Metropolis was ended after his aspect suffered defeat in the FA Cup final to Manchester United.
Sunday was Rodri’s first start of the campaign after an prolonged summer season break nursing an injury picked up in the European Championship final win over England.
Mateo Kovacic replaced Rodri during the Arsenal draw and will be in line to assume his roles at the base of midfield, with Ilkay Gundogan, Rico Lewis and Bernardo Silva all utilised in that place.
Metropolis – who had looked at Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes – were no longer planning to dip into the transfer market before Gundogan’s return became a viable chance on a free transfer.
Guardiola has the chance of reverting to a two-man midfield pairing in the interim for extra protection, with Metropolis going to St James’ Park for the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.
They head there after Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third round tie against Watford calm feeling the outcomes of the dramatic events of the weekend. John Stones’ 98th-minute equaliser sparked wild scenes, with players coming to blows and Metropolis stars bemoaning Arsenal’s ‘dirty’ gamesmanship.
The game ended with nine yellow cards, including two handed to the dismissed Leandro Trossard, with Erling Haaland angry at Arteta and Gabriel Jesus in the immediate aftermath of paunchy time. Haaland informed Arteta to ‘be humble’ and had an expletive-laden exchange with Jesus, whom he labelled ‘a clown’.
Minutes before, a fired-up Haaland had thrown a ball at Gabriel’s head in response to Stones’ late goal. VAR reviewed the incident and deemed no action was necessary, with the Norwegian no longer facing any retrospective punishment from the FA.
‘I don’t even be aware this [incident],’ Gabriel said. ‘It be normal, they were happy after scoring in the last minute. It be a battle, a war, so it be normal to have provocative acts in football, it be part of the game. Now it be over and we are waiting for them at our flooring’.
Haaland will miss the Watford game after landing in Norway last night. The striker is understood to be attending the funeral of family friend Ivar Eggja, who passed away a fortnight ago.
Rather incredibly, Metropolis misplaced three league games last season when Rodri had been absent thru suspension
Bernardo Silva had stated Rodri (pictured) had left the Etihad Stadium ‘in a bad way’ on Sunday
Many have hailed Rodri for his brilliance and influence helping information Metropolis to their last four league titles
Metropolis defender Manuel Akanji added to the chorus of complaints about Arsenal’s vogue by claiming that they constantly seek for ‘drama’.
‘Always after we play against them, that’s what they’re looking for – the drama,’ Akanji said. ‘Going hard in the duels, defending with 11 players in their own field and then trying to rating from diagram pieces.
‘Players tear on the flooring to stand up, sprint back again, tear on the flooring again. I don’t think there are many better than them at it in Europe. But in the finish, we always win the title and I don’t think it is going to be various this year.’
Guardiola admitted that remaining calm is sophisticated in those circumstances nevertheless informed his players to block out external factors.
‘The behaviours we cannot management, don’t tear away from what is important: the game,’ Guardiola said. ‘We are an fair team. We tear there and attempt to attain our very finest.
‘Focal point on the game and defend your self. Focal point on the game, focal point on what we have to attain. Attempt to attain what we have performed for many, many years. Protect your self, that is all I ask. I do know what the opponents are going to attain.
Rodri revealed that the world’s elite players are considering going on strike amid issues over scheduling
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‘I misplaced a [Champions League] semi-final against Inter [in 2010] at home 10 against 11, and we were no longer able to near back because there were always problems.
‘It be sophisticated to manage, which is why you have to be calm. Earn no longer make fouls. Give rhythm to their game as small as that you can imagine. I understand, 10 against 11, Raya takes his time, the long balls. Every so often cramp, another cramp. But stay in the game. It be sophisticated. We did it really neatly.’
