Rodri Raises Alarms… but Brings Calm

Manchester City earned a hard-fought 1-0 win over Brentford, but the big scare came from Rodri, who asked to be substituted just 20 minutes into the match after feeling discomfort in his thigh. The image of the midfielder lying on the pitch sparked concern in England, recalling his serious ligament injury from last season.

His replacement was Nico González, who came on immediately to fill his spot. Although the club has not yet confirmed the extent of the injury, all signs point to a minor muscle problem.

The Update Everyone Was Waiting For

After the match, Rodri himself spoke to calm fans down. “I’m fine. I felt a little pain in my hamstring, but it doesn’t seem to be much. The important thing was the win,” he said. The Spaniard explained that the discomfort was similar to what he felt during the Euro final but not serious: “I stretched my leg a bit—it’s part of the process. I feel fresh and it’s nothing serious.”

The City midfielder confirmed that he will not join the Spanish national team for the upcoming fixtures but expects to be back in the next Premier League round: “The matches with Spain? Definitely not, because it’s the break now, but I think I’ll be ready for the first game after the break… That’s the goal.”

Target: Everton

If all goes according to plan, Rodri aims to return on October 18 against Everton, when City resume league play after the international window. It’s good news for Pep Guardiola, who can breathe a sigh of relief given the midfielder’s importance to his system.

The scare turned out to be just that—a scare—and the European champions are already preparing to restore their midfield leader.