Rodri injury latest: Man City star travels to Spain for further tests on knee problem feared season-ending

Rodri has flown to Barcelona for medical tests on the serious knee injury he suffered against Arsenal on Sunday, with the Manchester City midfielder expected to miss the rest of the season.

The Spain international jarred his leg in an off-the-ball incident that occurred early on in the dramatic 2-2 draw between Premier League title rivals at the Etihad Stadium and hobbled off after 21 minutes, replaced by Mateo Kovacic.

On Monday afternoon, Rodri arrived in Barcelona for a specialist assessment on what initial tests indicated is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

City manager Pep Guardiola called Rodri “irreplaceable” in March, and he is a contender to win the Ballon d’Or next month after his exploits for City last season and key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph in July. His injury could yet prove a major factor in this season’s title race.

Rodri’s injury is the first of a serious nature that he has sustained in his career. The 28-year-old sat out of a couple of games last season after demanding a rest from Guardiola due to feeling overworked. This month he insisted players are “close” to striking over the ever-expanding football calendar.

Since he joined from Atletico Madrid in 2019, City have won 74 per cent of the matches in which Rodri has played but just 64 per cent without him. Of the 21 Premier League games the Spaniard has missed, City have been beaten in seven. That 33 per cent loss rate drops to just 10.9 per cent for games in which Rodri has featured.