After suffering an injury setback during their shocking Club World Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier on Tuesday, Manchester City is eagerly awaiting word on its star midfielder Rodri. After defeating Juventus 5-2 in their last group match, Man City appeared to be a serious threat to win the redesigned competition in the US.
The Saudis' significant expenditures paid off as they achieved a decisive victory to eliminate the 2023 Champions League winners, but Pep Guardiola's team will have been confident heading into their matchup with Al-Hilal in the round of 16.
City had taken the lead early in the first half thanks to Bernardo Silva, but Al-Hilal's two rapid goals after the break turned the tide of the match.
Erling Haaland gave City the equalizer to force extra time. In just the fourth minute of extra time, Kalidou Koulibaly gave Al-Hilal the lead again, but Phil Foden came in to pull City even.
However, Marcos Leonardo had the final laugh after securing his brace in the 112th minute and leading Al-Hilal to a spectacular victory that advanced them to the quarterfinals.
City loses out on a possible $125 million (£91 million or €106 million) in prize money that would have gone to the tournament winners as a result.
Nevertheless, City's financial status has improved as a result of the Club World Cup. Guardiola and City officials are most worried about Rodri's injury, considering he just recovered from an ACL tear.
Rodri made his fifth appearance since getting back to match fitness, taking Ilkay Gundogan's place in the 53rd minute. But in extra time, he requested to go, and Foden took his place, scoring.
Guardiola was vague about Rodri's injury after the game. The manager stated, "We need time to return, but we have to see Rodri, who complained about his circumstances" (via the Express). “We had to finish our chances,” Guardiola said after the game, clearly frustrated. “That was the difference in moments where we should’ve killed it off, we didn’t.”
He went on: “First half, honestly, they didn’t give us much to deal with. We were the ones creating. But we couldn’t turn that into goals, and in matches like this, you get punished for it. I had a feeling we were going to get through, but football doesn’t work off feelings it’s about moments, and they took theirs.” We let them make changes, but we produced a lot.
"It is unfortunate; we have had an amazing trip together and are doing well. The atmosphere was excellent, and I want to express my gratitude to Manchester City and the players in particular for their training and performance.
Since it only occurs here every four years, we would have wanted to have continued. We thought the squad was performing well, but now that we are home, it is time to recuperate both mentally and physically in preparation for the upcoming season.
"It is too early to say," Guardiola said in response to a question about whether he had seen enough for City to challenge for the Premier League championship. However, there have been a lot of positive things that I haven't seen in the [recent] past.
Health concerns for Rodri have become more serious. Guardiola has confirmed that Rodri came off with a fresh injury during extra time with one report calling it a “setback” that could sideline him further .
This isn’t just a bump, Rodri was making only his fifth appearance after returning from a long ACL recovery and his physical fragility was painfully exposed.
The timing couldn’t be worse. City had poured cash into the squad £281 million this summer alone and yet the midfield now looks perilously short. Rodri isn’t just a starter, he’s the heartbeat of this team; without him, even a patch against Al-Hilal felt shaky.
Experts are warning that once ACL injuries resurface, it can take another few months before the player stabilizes under elite load. Guardiola was clear on his caution “We need time to come back.” That’s not management talk, it’s medical reality.
This twist makes the loss far more than a simple upset. It threatens City’s entire midfield framework. There’s talk around the club that recruitment plans might shift to include a defensive midfielder Rodri’s backup especially now that the Spaniard may not be 100% fit come August.
Pep’s been open about how this tournament can hurt next season, and now there’s proof of the toll it took on his key men. The break the manager wanted is no longer optional it’s essential. Training camps can wait; medical reviews cannot.
So, where does that leave City now? They’re home with their prize money but without their engine.
As pre-season approaches, millions of eyes fans and rivals alike will watch whether Rodri recovers in time. Because without him, the Champions League winners look a bit less invincible and far more vulnerable than at any point last season.
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