Rodri admits to ‘questioning himself’ over fitness and Manchester City future after knee injury | OneFootball

Manchester City superstar Rodri has offered a unique and honest insight into his frame of mind whilst recovering from a serious knee injury sustained in 2024.

Rodri sustained damage to his ACL during a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September 2024, in an injury that threatened to permanently alter the trajectory of his top-level playing career off the back of claiming the 2024 Ballon d’Or prize.

The Spaniard took on a gruelling 18-month road to full fitness, including a premature eight-month comeback in May 2025 that led to subsequent hamstring and groin setbacks during the summer and early months of the ongoing season.

Now, with that serious injury well behind him and the club hoping that consistency can return to the player’s availability, the 2026 Carabao Cup final at Wembley served as the definitive crowning moment for the Spaniard in his recovery.

Commanding Manchester City’s midfield with authority, Rodri was instrumental in the 0-2 victory over Arsenal, notably detecting a second-half physical drop-off in the Gunners that allowed Nico O’Reilly to strike twice.

Rodri’s ‘physical’ and ‘mental’ struggles revealed

Speaking in an interview published in the Carabao Cup final programme released around the clash with Arsenal, Rodri opened up on the process of returning back to full fitness and playing consistently for Manchester City again.

“It’s such an incredible thing to be back playing regularly,” Rodri admitted ahead of the Wembley showpiece that resulted in a memorable afternoon for Manchester City once again.

“I had been doubting many things including if I was going to be able to come back. Physically, you are in pain. Mentally, you have a lot of feelings,” he continued.

“I really questioned myself, but getting to a place like where I’m at now, it makes me proud of the process I’ve lived. Now it’s about enjoying being back where I want to be.”

How do the demands of silverware affect Rodri?

Looking back over the struggles of the 2024/25 season – in which Manchester City failed to win a single major trophy for the first time since the 2016/17 campaign – Rodri opened up on the frame of mind within the squad regarding silverware demands.

“When you go through a time like I’ve been through, you have a lot of time to think. We’re very lucky to enjoy our profession and sometimes when you’re involved in these battles to win you don’t realise a lot of things,” the Spain international explained.

“When it is taken away you appreciate what you normally take for granted. At this club, we are used to the demands of winning trophies. When we don’t win for one year it feels like a long time. I know how difficult it is to win and that drives me on to get more,” he continued.

“It feels like a challenge. Are you able to do it again? Are you able to sustain the level? That is the mentality of this team.

“The manager [Pep Guardiola] is the one who teaches us that way. He’s the first one with such desperation and hunger to win again and again, even though he’s already won so much.”

The latest on Rodri’s Man City future amid Real Madrid talk

Manchester City and the club’s supporters will be hoping that Rodri can now push on and continue to be the vital component of their playing squad once again, despite some doubts over his future at the Etihad Stadium.

The midfielder will enter into the final 12 months of his contract following the conclusion of the ongoing season, with sporting director Hugo Viana expected to be prioritising a lucrative extension to tie the midfielder down for the foreseeable future.

The delay to proceedings regarding contractual talks has only intensified long-standing interest from Real Madrid, who view the 29-year-old as the dream option to lead their midfield into the 2026/27 season and beyond.

Rodri himself only fuelled such rumours earlier in March with a “we’ll see” regarding his future at Manchester City, perhaps leaving the door ajar for a summer transfer that would almost certainly cost any club a substantial sum of money.