Manchester City midfielder Rodri undergoes minor back surgery

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has undergone successful minor back surgery and will begin a short period of rehabilitation, the club confirmed on July 28. The procedure addresses a lingering discomfort for the 30-year-old Spain international, who recently captained his country to World Cup victory and was named the tournament's best player.

The club described the operation as minor and stated Rodri will be unavailable for a short period, but did not provide a specific return date. Manager Enzo Maresca, speaking ahead of the procedure, indicated the player needed time to recover and rest. Some reports suggest a potential return to training just days before Manchester City's Community Shield match against Arsenal on August 16, though his participation in that game remains uncertain. The broader expectation communicated is that he should be back in action before the end of August.

This latest setback comes after two injury-disrupted seasons for Rodri, who missed most of the 2024-25 campaign with a serious knee injury and subsequently dealt with other fitness issues. Despite those challenges, he started all eight matches for Spain during their successful World Cup run this summer....