Manchester City will be without midfielder Rodri when they play Burnley in a must-win Premier League clash on Wednesday.
Rodri played for 88 minutes as Man City defeated Arsenal at the Etihad. The Spain international limped off the pitch due to a groin injury.
Guardiola has now confirm Rodri will be unavailable for the fixture against Burnley.
“I think for tomorrow he will not be ready,” Guardiola told a pre-match press conference. “We’ll see for next games the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton or 12 days later for the Premier League game at Everton.”
Rodri lies injured during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium. (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
The midfielder underwent medical assessments earlier this week to determine the extent of the damage. While the immediate focus is on the trip to Burnley, there are growing concerns regarding Rodri’s fitness for the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton this weekend.
Rodri is facing a race against time to be involved in City’s final stretch of the campaign, though City have a significant break in their league schedule following the cup tie.
With Rodri out, Guardiola will now rely on Nico Gonzalez to fill the void in the holding midfield role, a task he has handled previously during Rodri’s injury absences this term.
The City manager was quick to praise the impact of the deputy, insisting he has full confidence in the squad’s ability to adapt. Guardiola noted: “Nico Gonzalez helped us a lot in the absence of Rodri to be where we are now.”
A win for Manchester City will pile more pressure on Arsenal as the race to win the Premier League gets more intense.
