- Last week, Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri claimed players could look to strike, due to a congested fixture list for both club and country.
- Rodri was backed by many players, claiming their health is at risk.
- On Sunday, Rodri tore the ACL in his right knee and could be out for the rest of the season.
Soccer players have been critical of the sport’s governing organizations recently as the number of games they play have been increasing. For example, two more games have been added to the Champions League format as there are eight games in the opening phase, instead of six.
Last week, Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri claimed that players were close to striking, as there are just too many games, and injuries will happen more frequently. He is backed by City manager Pep Guardiola, Liverpool keeper Alisson, and many others.
In a terrible twist of fate, Rodri was injured on Sunday in Manchester City’s big English Premier League fixture with Arsenal. Various outlets are reporting that Rodri tore the ACL in his right knee, and will likely miss the rest of the season.
How Did Rodri Hurt His Knee? Was It Due to Playing Too Many Games?
The injury happened around the 15-minute mark, as Rodri was being guarded Arsenal’s Thomas Partey during a corner kick. A few seconds later, Rodri crumpled in a heap seemingly out of nothing, holding his right knee.
It should be said that Rodri was making his first start of the season for Manchester City after getting an extended holiday this summer. The midfielder played 63 games for club and country from the beginning of last season to July, when Euro 2024 ended with a victory for Spain.
It’s still too early for say whether Rodri’s injury was caused by playing too many games. It’s hard to prove that, but the midfielder was one of the most overloaded players in the soccer world as a result of Spain’s run in the EUROs.
This was closer to a non-contact injury, and you could put that down to overexertion, even though Rodri had been brought along slowly by his club and international team.
So far this season, Rodri started a 4-1 win for Spain in UEFA Nations League play, playing 59 minutes. Then, he came on as a sub in City’s 2-1 win over Brentford, playing the second half. Rodri played the entire game of a 0-0 draw with Inter Milan in the Champions League on September 18 before lasting just 15 minutes against Arsenal.
What Does This Mean for Manchester City and Spain?
For Spain, they’ll miss Rodri for the Nations League, which is a lower priority for European counties, and an example of what Rodri was talking about. UEFA (and FIFA) create tournaments like this to increase revenue, even though players don’t want it.
For example, the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has been expanded to 32 teams and will take place from June 15 to July 13 in 2025. So, there goes summer for the contestants.
Spain will also start their World Cup 2026 qualification in March 2025, then they’ll continue in June 2025. They’ll hope that Rodri is healthy enough to come back for that, but more likely, the September 2025 qualification games.
It’s a much bigger deal for Manchester City, which sits at the top of the Champions League odds. You could be assured of seeing City in your UCL best bets most of the time.
They’re also aiming for their fifth consecutive title in England, and Rodri has been their most important player for the last two seasons. GiveMeSport wrote an article laying out City’s reliance on the midfielder who is also near the top of the Ballon d’Or odds.
In all competitions with Rodri, over 260 games, City won 193 games, which is a 74.2% win rate. Without him, which is 45 games, the win rate decreases to 66.7%. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s a matter of 2–3 wins. City only won the Premier League by two points over Arsenal last season. Rodri is a title-deciding player, so his absence will definitely hurt his club, country, and soccer fans at large.
