The Ballon d’Or and 2024 European champion suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September against Arsenal, causing his coach Pep Guardiola to fear an end to the season.
Spanish midfielder Rodri, seriously injured in a knee in September, hopes to “come back” before the end of the season” with Manchester City, he confided in an interview with The Rest Is Football podcast broadcast on Thursday.
“My goal is to come back this season. I’m not giving up on this season, (but) I don’t want to make any mistakes. My goal is six or seven months“, he confided regarding his return date.
“The first month and a half was difficult in terms of pain, I couldn’t walk, but now it’s easier” he told podcast hosts Gary Lineker and Micah Richards. “I’m doing a lot better than I thought I would.”
In his absence, Manchester City fell apart sportingly. The reigning four-time English champions have just suffered five defeats then a draw on Tuesday against Feyenoord (3-3) in the Champions League, after leading 3-0. The Premier League season ends at the end of May for the “Citizens” who will then compete in the Club World Cup in the United States from mid-June. Champion of England with City and European champion with Spain, Rodri was named Ballon d’Or on October 28.
“I experienced the best and worst moment of my career with the Ballon d’Or and the injury, but this gives me oxygen to come back in a good way“, he declared. The ceremony was parasitized by the absence of Real Madrid, furious that the prestigious prize was not awarded to its Brazilian striker Vinicius, winner of the Champions League.
“I can’t respect this decision“, Rodri commented on this. “In sport and in life, it is important to win. But I think about how we lose even more, and I always say the same thing – it was my moment, I didn’t want to talk about other people“.
Rodri Manchester City guardiola
