MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City midfielder Rodri will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his damaged ACL on Friday.
The Spain international also injured his meniscus.
“This season is over (for him)," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "We are there to support him in a good recovery, step by step and move forward.”
Rodri injured his right knee in the first half of City’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday.
City hoped the injury would not be as bad as first feared, but confirmation of ACL damage — which can take from six months to a year to recover from — meant the four-time defending English Premier League champion will be without one of its most influential players for the remainder of this campaign.
“We don't have a similar player, but the other players all together can replace what Rodri has given since he arrived to us," Guardiola said. “We have to do it as a team and we have to find a way to play a lot of months without an important player for us.”
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Robson, The Associated Press
