Manchester City Hit by Another Rodri Injury Setback Ahead of New Season
Manchester City Suffer Major Setback as Rodri Faces New Injury Layoff
Manchester City’s preparations for the 2025/26 Premier League season have taken a significant hit after Pep Guardiola confirmed that midfield talisman Rodri has suffered a fresh injury setback. The news comes just days before the champions are set to kick off their title defense, sending shockwaves through both the dressing room and the fanbase.
Rodri’s Return Cut Short
The Spanish midfielder had only just returned to action during the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia, where he made his first appearance since recovering from a serious ACL injury. Supporters were encouraged to see him back in the sky-blue shirt, pulling the strings once again in midfield. But in the final against Al Hilal, disaster struck.
Guardiola revealed in his press conference that Rodri picked up another problem during the game and will not be back to full fitness until at least September. It’s a cruel twist of fate for a player who has become one of the most indispensable figures in Guardiola’s system.
Guardiola’s Update
The City boss was measured but clearly concerned when giving the update to reporters:
“Rodri is getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al Hilal. He has trained better in the last few days, hopefully after the international break is when he will be really fit.”
Guardiola stressed that City will not take risks with their star midfielder:
“Hopefully in these games he can play some minutes, but what is important is he doesn’t have pain because we don’t want this Rodri coming back injured. We try desperately to avoid that. He has been training the last two sessions with us and that’s good.”
Why Rodri Matters So Much
Rodri is far more than just another midfielder for City—he is the heartbeat of Guardiola’s team. Since joining from Atlético Madrid in 2019, he has established himself as the metronome in the middle of the park, dictating tempo, winning back possession, and even chipping in with decisive goals in crucial matches.
His importance was laid bare last season. During his absence, City’s performances nosedived—they failed to win a major trophy, finished third in the league, and looked uncharacteristically fragile in midfield. Without Rodri, City’s win rate dropped noticeably, and their ability to control games suffered badly.
The Road Ahead for Guardiola
City begin their new league campaign against Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend, but Guardiola will have to start the season without his midfield general. In Rodri’s absence, new signing Tijjani Reijnders is tipped to step into the defensive midfield role. While the Dutchman is highly rated and has impressed in training, he faces the daunting task of replacing one of the best holding midfielders in the world.
The fixture list does City no favors. After Wolves, they face a demanding August schedule that could define their title challenge early on. With Tottenham and Brighton on the horizon, Guardiola will be relying on his tactical flexibility and squad depth to weather the storm until Rodri returns.
Conclusion
For City fans, the hope is that Rodri’s recovery stays on course and that he can return after the international break in September, just in time for the season’s first big clashes. Until then, Guardiola will need every ounce of his tactical nous to keep City’s engine running smoothly without its most vital component.
The message from the manager is clear: patience is key. But for supporters who witnessed last season’s struggles without Rodri, the anxiety is all too familiar.