Nightmare for Manchester City!

After the match with Arsenal, Rodri, 28, suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury.

Rodri is one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, and the team is now facing a tough time. The player has visited a specialist in Barcelona and an evaluation is underway to determine the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis, the team writes on their website.

About Rodri, and why he is an important player for the team:

1. Positionally smart and tactically flexible:

Rodri is known for his fantastic positioning. He has an incredible ability to read the game, which means he is always in the right place to break up the opponents' attacks or support his team's offense. He moves intelligently across the field.

2. Passing skill and control:

He is exceptional in his passing game. Rodri is very accurate with his short and long passes, which allows him to control the tempo of the matches. He has the ability to control the game and find his teammates in pressured situations, which is crucial for a team like Manchester City, which plays a possession-oriented football.

3. Defensive strength:

Even though he is a skilled passer, he is also a defensive rock. His physical presence and ability to win back the ball, both in aerial duels and tackles, make him a stable defensive midfielder. He is particularly good at reading the game and breaking up the opponents' attacks before they become dangerous.

4. Physicality and endurance:

Rodri combines strength, endurance, and an impressive work capacity. He can dominate the midfield throughout the entire match and has the ability to maintain a high level during both intense and long matches. His physique makes it difficult for opponents to get past him, and he is also a powerful presence in set-piece situations.

5. Calm under pressure:

One of the most impressive aspects of Rodri's play is his calmness under pressure. Despite often being targeted by the opponents' pressing game, he maintains his composure and finds creative solutions to retain possession. 

6. Adaptability:

He is versatile and can play different roles in midfield, from defensive midfielder to more creative and forward-leaning roles. His tactical intelligence makes him adaptable to different systems and against various types of opponents.

7. Leadership qualities:

Though he is relatively young compared to other leaders on the field, Rodri shows great responsibility and maturity. His style of play often inspires his teammates and makes him a key figure in Manchester City's successes under Pep Guardiola.

Rodri has quickly become a central player at the top level thanks to his combination of technical and tactical skills, defensive security, and intelligent positioning. These qualities make him one of the most complete midfielders in the world today.