MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City midfielder Rodri has ligament damage in his right knee, the club said Wednesday without giving a time frame for his potential absence.
The Spain international, who is among the favorites to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award for the best player in the world, limped off after 20 minutes of the 2-2 draw against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
City confirmed in a statement that Rodri “suffered a ligament injury.” He traveled to Spain on Monday to seek specialist consultation on the problem.
“Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis,” the English champions said. City manager Pep Guardiola said Tuesday he expects to be without Rodri for a “long time.”
Rodri’s absence could be a major blow to City’s ambitions of winning a record-extending fifth-straight league title this season because he is arguably the team’s most important player because of how he protects the defense and conducts its passing game.