Staff Reporter.
While the Premier League champions are yet to confirm how long midfielder Rodri will be out for after injuring his knee in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal – reports suggest it could be a lengthy absence.
There are even fears he may not return again this season.
Rodri, 28, is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or next month – given to the world’s best player – and considered by many to be City’s most influential player.
The reigning English champions have not lost in the last 48 Premier League matches in which the Spaniard – also named player of the tournament when his country won Euro 2024 – has started.
But City did lose four out of the five games he missed last season, with Rodri tasting defeat just once in all competitions – not including penalty shootouts such as the Champions League tie with Real Madrid – the FA Cup final upset by Manchester United.
After Rodri made his Manchester City debut in the 2019 Community Shield against Liverpool, team-mate Kevin de Bruyne described him as the “perfect fit” for the team.
He wasn’t wrong.
Since arriving from Atletico Madrid, the Spain midfielder’s influence has been extraordinary, with City having lost just 11% of their games with him in the side compared to 24% without him.
City’s points-per-game average with Rodri in the side – albeit across all competitions – is 2.36. Without him, it is just 2.04.
Therefore, if Rodri was to miss the rest of the Premier League season, using those averages City would finish on 80 points, compared to a projected 91 points with him playing every week.
In three out of the past four seasons, 91 points would have been enough to win the title.
However, the last time a team won the league with as few as 80 points was Manchester United in 2010-11. City, with Roberto Mancini at the helm, finished third that year.