A football injury specialist has issued a concerning assessment regarding the knee injury sustained by Manchester City player Rodri during the 2-2 match against Arsenal.
The Spanish midfielder fell to the ground just 16 minutes into the game after colliding with Thomas Partey in the penalty area.
He appeared to be in significant discomfort and needed medical attention before indicating to the bench that he was unable to continue.
Rodri then exited the field and was substituted by Mateo Kovacic, and the injury could pose a major setback for City if it’s serious. The manner in which Rodri fell—along with a subsequent replay—raised alarms among City supporters about the severity of the influential midfielder’s injury.
Now, injury analyst Physio Scout has provided a thorough assessment on Twitter regarding Rodri’s condition, which may deliver the worst news to City fans.
They suggest that the movement of Rodri’s knee upon impact with Partey indicates he might have suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his right knee.
The tweet states: “Based on video analysis, we suspect it’s an ACL tear (+/- meniscus injury), as the right knee shifted into valgus, with a change in direction and slight tibial shift.
“Imaging will be needed to confirm the injury. The best-case scenario is that it’s just a meniscus issue, but the injury did not appear promising. We hope he avoids an ACL injury at all costs.” A meniscus injury typically results from twisting and, while less severe than an ACL tear, can still require about two months for full recovery if torn.
After the match, City manager Pep Guardiola commented: “Rodri is strong. He left the pitch because he felt something; otherwise, he would have stayed. It happened early in the game. Matches against Arsenal are intense, and we need to cope with that. We managed to do so and had some good moments.”