Pep Guardiola confirmed that Manchester City will be without Rodri for the entire season after he suffered ligament damage last weekend.
In a major blow to City’s title race hopes, the central midfielder underwent surgery in Madrid on Friday morning.
Guardiola suggested Rodri had suffered injuries to his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus and warned City to be careful with his recovery to avoid further problems in the future.
City had sought two opinions from experts from Britain and Spain, hoping that initial concerns around an ACL were unfounded.
“His season is over,” Guardiola said. ‘Unfortunately he got the worst of it [outcome]. But it is what it is. Unfortunately it happens at this level. We are here to support him, and he will recover and move forward step by step.
Rodri will miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery in Madrid on Friday
‘If you have an ACL injury it lasts nine months and then you have muscle injuries the following season. We have great players and we will find the solution.
‘Many months without an important player for us, everyone knows that.’
The Spaniard suffered the serious ligament damage during the first half of City’s dramatic 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal last Sunday.
After consultation with the club, Rodri chose to go to the operating table, where renowned sports surgeon Dr. Manuel Leyes carried out the operation, according to Spanish media Relevo.
The Spaniard is a highly regarded orthopedic surgeon within the Spanish football community and City have decided to override Rodri’s decision to seek treatment from him.
Real Madrid stars Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and Arda Guler all underwent successful knee surgeries carried out by the Spanish doctor.
More to follow.