Rodri’s long road back from a torn ACL just hit another pothole. The Manchester City midfielder, who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or before a devastating knee injury derailed his season, was pulled from the FIFA Club World Cup round-of-16 match against Al-Hilal on July 1 after just 47 minutes on the pitch.

He had entered the game as a substitute in the 53rd minute. By the 100th minute, he was already done.

What happened against Al-Hilal

Manchester City fell 4-3 to Al-Hilal in what turned out to be a chaotic round-of-16 encounter.

The Spaniard had been brought on as part of a measured reintegration plan. He’d been eased back through bench appearances in the group stage, with the coaching staff clearly treating his return with caution. This was only his fifth game since coming back from the ACL tear he suffered in September 2024, an injury that kept him sidelined for roughly eight months.

Yet caution wasn’t enough. Something in his groin gave way, and Pep Guardiola was forced to pull him before the final whistle.

“It’s a big injury,” the Manchester City manager said, confirming the issue was related to Rodri’s groin.

The ACL recovery timeline and its complications

Rodri tore his ACL in September 2024. He spent the better part of eight months in recovery and rehabilitation, missing the vast majority of City’s 2024-25 campaign. His return to competitive action was supposed to be the feel-good story of the Club World Cup. Instead, it’s become a cautionary tale about the fragility of post-injury comebacks.

Five appearances since his return. Limited minutes in each. And now a groin problem serious enough for Guardiola to call it a “big injury” without hesitation.

What this means for Manchester City’s season

The 2025-26 Premier League season is around the corner, and City were banking on having their midfield metronome available for the opening weeks. That assumption now looks shaky at best.

A groin injury of the magnitude Guardiola described could sideline Rodri for weeks or potentially longer, potentially causing him to miss City’s opening league matches.

The Club World Cup exit itself is a blow, with the 4-3 loss to Al-Hilal ending City’s run in the tournament. But the real cost of that match might not be measured in trophies lost. It might be measured in the weeks or months that Rodri now spends on the treatment table instead of on the pitch.