Rodri shares encouraging injury update as Manchester City star eyes comeback

A string of poor results have only just come to an end after Man City beat Leicester 2-0 on December 30. Before that point, they had won just one of their past 13 games in all competitions.

The reigning Premier League champions are now sixth in the league, 14 points adrift of leaders Liverpool and being hunted by the likes of Bournemouth, Fulham and Aston Villa.

All of this seemed to spark from Rodri’s season-ending injury. The Ballon d’Or winning midfielder tore his ACL earlier in the season and required surgery, which manager Pep Guardiola said ruled him out for the remainder of the 2024/25 campaign.

Now, forced to watch his team struggle without him - and leaving a hole in the midfield that has exposed defensive weaknesses - Rodri has given an update on his injury to fans, and called for them to rally behind his team.

He said: “We are in a critical situation at City, and it is a time when the team has to be united. I know that we are in a bad time, a time that we are perhaps finding difficult to assimilate and in which we are not feeling well, but in the end this is part of sport.

“Football changes. I don't think that in the end this moment will be very significant, neither for the good nor the bad. You go through phases throughout the year.

“The seasons are longer now and maturity and calm are important. Obviously, you must not relax or believe that this is going to change overnight. It has to improve gradually.”

As for his injury, the Spanish midfielder added that he hoped to be back on the pitch sooner than expected.

“I don't want to confirm anything, but my idea is to try to come back a little earlier,” he added. “I know myself, I am a person who recovers well, a person with a positive mentality. They have said that the issue of the head was very important in the recovery.

“"As I said, everything is going very well. Of course I want to play again this season.”