Rodri’s Latest Injury Scare: Manchester City’s Golden Boy Can’t Catch a Break

Well, here we are again. Just when Manchester City fans thought they could breathe easy about their Ballon d’Or winner, Rodri goes and pulls up lame against Brentford. Because apparently, watching one of the world’s best midfielders struggle with his body is the new normal at the Etihad.

The Spanish maestro lasted all of 20 minutes before signaling to the bench that something wasn’t right. Cue the collective groan from City supporters who’ve already watched this movie before – and it wasn’t exactly a feel-good blockbuster the first time around.

What Happened to Rodri This Time?

Let’s cut straight to the chase here. Rodri felt something tweak in his hamstring during Manchester City‘s 1-0 victory over Brentford, and frankly, it’s almost impressive how quickly these things seem to happen to him these days. The sight of the midfielder sitting on the turf, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else, was enough to send shivers down the spine of every City fan who remembers his lengthy absence last season.

But before we all start planning another nine-month vigil, the man himself has provided some much-needed perspective. “I’m good. I felt a little bit in the hamstring but it seems like it’s not that much,” Rodri told Sky Sports after the match. Well, that’s reassuring – sort of.

The 29-year-old compared the sensation to what he experienced during the Euro final, which is either comforting or terrifying depending on how you look at it. At least he’s consistent in his injury timing, right?

Rodri’s Injury History: A Comedy of Errors

Here’s where things get genuinely frustrating for anyone who appreciates watching elite football. Rodri suffered that devastating ACL injury back in September 2024, which kept him out for a staggering 236 days. That’s more than seven months of watching Manchester City try to function without their metronome – and let’s be honest, it wasn’t always pretty.

The Spanish international has managed just 15 appearances since the start of last season, which is absolutely mind-boggling for a player of his caliber. Pep Guardiola has been handling him like fine china ever since his return, rarely playing him for full 90-minute matches. And guess what? Even that cautious approach hasn’t been enough to keep him healthy.

It’s almost comical how Guardiola predicted this exact scenario. When journalists questioned why he was substituting Rodri so frequently, the City boss essentially said, “This is exactly why.” Well, congratulations Pep – you were right, but nobody’s celebrating.

Guardiola’s Measured Response Shows Real Concern

Pep Guardiola‘s comments after the Brentford match revealed just how delicate the situation has become with Rodri. “It’s muscular. Of course I don’t want to lose him at all because he is such an important player. We tried to take care of him, but it is what it is,” the manager explained.

That resignation in Guardiola’s voice speaks volumes. This is a coach who’s built his entire tactical system around having a player like Rodri anchoring the midfield, and now he’s constantly walking on eggshells just to keep him on the pitch.

The fact that City has been so careful with their Ballon d’Or winner – limiting his minutes, rotating him regularly, treating him like he’s made of glass – and he still can’t stay healthy is genuinely concerning. What’s the point of having the world’s best defensive midfielder if he’s perpetually one awkward step away from the treatment table?

When Will Rodri Return to Action?

Despite the scare, Rodri himself seems optimistic about a quick return. He’s ruled himself out of Spain’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria – because of course he has – but he’s targeting Manchester City’s next Premier League fixture against Everton on October 18.

“The good thing about this is you get out, you don’t let the muscle stretch now. The good thing is the break so it will be even better in this sense to recover these days and hopefully I can be in the next game,” Rodri explained.

That’s assuming everything goes according to plan, which frankly hasn’t been his strong suit lately. City fans will be holding their collective breath until they see him complete a full match without incident.

The Bigger Picture for Manchester City

Let’s step back and look at what this means for Manchester City as a whole. They’ve just won the Ballon d’Or with a player who can barely string together consecutive appearances. That’s not exactly the stuff of legends, is it?

The reality is that Rodri’s injury problems have become a recurring nightmare for Guardiola’s tactical plans. When he’s healthy and firing on all cylinders, he’s arguably the most important player in the City squad. When he’s not – which seems to be increasingly often – the entire team’s rhythm gets disrupted.

City’s dependency on Rodri has reached almost absurd levels. They’ve built their entire playing philosophy around having him dictate tempo from deep, break up opposition attacks, and provide that crucial link between defense and attack. Without him, they look like a completely different team – and not necessarily in a good way.

What This Means for Spain’s World Cup Hopes

Spain won’t have their key midfielder for the upcoming international fixtures, which is hardly ideal preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Rodri has become absolutely crucial to La Roja’s success, serving as the heartbeat of their midfield just as he does for Manchester City.

The Spanish national team has been remarkably successful with Rodri pulling the strings, but his recurring fitness issues are starting to become a real concern for Luis de la Fuente’s squad planning. How do you build a World Cup-winning team around a player who can’t seem to stay healthy for more than a few weeks at a time?

Final Thoughts: The Fragile Genius

Rodri’s situation perfectly encapsulates the modern football dilemma: incredible talent wrapped in an increasingly fragile package. He’s undoubtedly one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation, capable of controlling games with an almost supernatural awareness of space and time.

But what good is all that brilliance if he can’t stay on the pitch? Manchester City and Spain find themselves in the bizarre position of having their most important player be simultaneously their biggest liability.

The international break might provide the perfect opportunity for Rodri to properly address this latest setback, but City fans could be forgiven for feeling like they’re living in a constant state of anxiety about their Golden Ball winner.

One thing’s for certain: if Rodri can somehow manage to string together a consistent run of games, Manchester City will be absolutely devastating. The big question is whether his body will allow him to reach that level again.