Pep Guardiola gives surprising answer when asked if Manchester City can manage without Rodri
Pep Guardiola has suggested that Rodri's season-ending injury could cost his team this season's Premier League title.
The Manchester City coach confirmed the will of his star midfielder miss the rest of the season after limping out of Sunday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
The Spaniard underwent surgery this Friday for a knee ligament injury in Spain after falling awkwardly without contact from any other player.
City hoped the injury was not as serious as initially feared, but Guardiola received the worst possible news this week as Rodri He opted for surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
It will keep the midfielder out of action for around nine months, allowing him to return for the start of the 2025/26 campaign.
Guardiola must somehow find a way to fill the gaping void left by the Euro 2024 winner, but doing so may come at a huge cost to the club's ambitions for the season.
The Manchester City coach told reporters the magnitude that Rodri's absence will have on his side.
“If we don't win it's because we miss Rodri,” Guardiola said in his Friday press conference ahead of Saturday's lunchtime trip to Newcastle.
“We are stronger with him. But he will be out for eight to nine months.”
He continued: “Next season will be here. This season is over. It is what it is at that level. We are here to support you. Good recovery, step by step and we move on.”
“What a similar player gives us, we don't have it, but all the players together can replace what Rodri has or has given us since he came to us.
“We have to find a way to play for many months without an important player for us, everyone knows it. “We want a speedy recovery for next season.”
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Guardiola will hope his team can quickly adapt to life without their talismanic midfielder at St James' Park this weekend.
Rodri has repeatedly proven his importance to the Premier League champions on the pitch, backed up by a statistic showing City's results without him.
According to Opta Joe, each of Manchester City's last four Premier League defeats came when Rodri was not involved in the team.
They have an impressive record of 42 wins and 10 draws in their last 52 Premier League games, dating back to February 2023.
In a double injury, Guardiola will also have to do without Kevin De Bruyne this weekend.
A groin injury kept the 33-year-old out of the midweek win over Watford and De Bruyne could even remain on the sidelines until after the international break.
