Rodri faces back surgery as new City boss Maresca tackles Guardiola succession
Manchester City's new manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed Rodri will undergo back surgery, testing the club's stability as it begins the post-Guardiola era.
Enzo Maresca used his first news conference as Manchester City manager to confirm that Rodri will undergo back surgery on Monday, with no timeline set for the midfielder's return. The 30-year-old Spain captain, who recently won the World Cup and the tournament's Golden Ball, now faces a period of rest and recuperation after the procedure.
The operation adds another chapter to a frustrating club injury record for the Ballon d'Or winner. An anterior cruciate ligament injury sidelined him for most of the 2024-25 campaign, and subsequent setbacks last season frequently kept him unavailable. The situation invited transfer speculation, with reports linking him to Real Madrid, but Maresca dismissed the noise. "Around big players there are always speculations so I am not worried about that," the Italian said. "I think every manager wants to have Rodri because he is a top player."
Guardiola succession
Managing Rodri's return is just one facet of the immense task facing Maresca, who stepped in last month to replace Pep Guardiola after the Catalan won 20 trophies in a decade at the club. Maresca knows the scale of the challenge, having served as Guardiola's assistant during the 2022-23 Treble-winning season before an 18-month stint at Chelsea ended in January.
"I want to say it is a privilege because it's the reason why the club decided to go for me, that is a privilege," Maresca said. "I consider Pep the best coach in the world in the last 20-25 years. It is a challenge [to replace him]."
Maresca emphasized the institutional stability that underpins City, noting that the club has employed only three managers in the last 16 years. "That is not normal and has not happened often," he said. "The structure understands to give time for everything." This continuity will be crucial as the new boss integrates returning players just three or four days before the Community Shield match against Arsenal on 16 August.
On the transfer market, Maresca indicated there are "a few things to do" but declined to address the futures of specific squad members. He offered no comment on goalkeeper James Trafford, who has been linked with an exit, or Jack Grealish, who is back in training after a loan spell at Everton.
