Pep Guardiola Gives Arsenal Some Hope With Nine-Word Rodri Injury Update

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner was forced off with a groin problem in the closing stages of Manchester City’s victory over Arsenal.

Rodri would be a big miss for Manchester City. | Catherine Ivill-AMA/Getty Images

Manchester City are basking in glory after Sunday’s pivotal 2–1 victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal, although some are concerned about the groin injury Rodri sustained late on in the game.

Pep Guardiola, entirely unprovoked, opened up the possibility of a spellon the sidelines for his star midfielder in his postmatch press conference. “I don’t know how long Rodri will be out,” he fretted, looking ahead to Wednesday’s potentially decisive clash with Burnley.

It was against the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium last season where the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner tore his ACL and all but crushed City’s dreams of capturing a fifth successive league title.

The knock he picked up on Sunday isn’t anywhere near as severe, but Guardiola won’t want to be without his midfield star for any stretch of time during the run-in, especially with the Cityzens boasting all the momentum at the summit.

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Guardiola Coy Over Rodri Injury

Guardiola embraced his midfield star after a mammoth victory. | Alex Livesey/Danehouse/Getty Images

It’s taken a little while for Rodri to get back up to speed after recovering from his long-term knee injury almost a year ago. The Spaniard dealt with niggles throughout the first half of the 2025–26 season and has generally struggled to rediscover a level of performance close to his pre-ACL tear apex.

However, Rodri has shown signs amid City’s ominous surge of re-emerging as a dominant force in the middle of the park. He played a critical role in Sunday’s imperative triumph, recording a team-high 11 defensive contributions and winning the second-most duels (nine). Rodri’s presence in the box also confused the Arsenal defense in the immediate buildup to Erling Haaland’s winner.

He was unable to finish the game, though, with Guardiola confirming postmatch that Rodri had sustained a groin injury.

“We’ll see,” was the message the City boss received from his medical team before any further scans could be conducted, very much putting the midfielder’s involvement for the trip to Turf Moor in doubt.

The perennial champions can move to the top of the table for the first time since August with a victory, and Guardiola also has a FA Cup semifinal against high-flying Championship side Southampton on the horizon.

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How Man City Could Replace Rodri

Nico González made his first Premier League appearance since February. | Molly Darlington/Copa/Getty Images

The quick turnaround from Sunday’s hard-fought triumph means there’s a good chance Rodri doesn’t play midweek, even if his groin injury proves to be only minor.

Burnley are as good as down, winning just one league game since October, and City’s current mojo suggests they’ll canter past Scott Parker’s side no matter who starts alongside the irresistible Bernardo Silva in Guardiola’s engine room.

Nico González was called upon in the closing stages to replace Rodri, as he made his first Premier League appearance since February. Last year’s January signing impressed in the autumn and is a steady enough replacement for his compatriot.

Guardiola has previously described González as a “mini Rodri,” but the former Porto midfielder’s minutes have dwindled in 2026 due to the telepathy shown between two Sky Blue greats in the middle of the pitch.

Mateo Kovačić is another option for the title hopefuls, while Nico O’Reilly tends to drift into central areas in his mightily effective hybrid role at fullback.

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