Rodri will undergo back surgery on Monday, 27 July 2026, Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca confirmed at his first news conference since succeeding Pep Guardiola on Friday. The procedure could rule the 30-year-old midfielder out of City's Premier League opener against Bournemouth on 23 August, with Maresca saying Rodri needs surgery followed by rest and recovery.
The operation comes just eight days after Rodri captained Spain to World Cup glory over Argentina and was named the tournament's best player. Maresca, who previously served as Guardiola's assistant during City's 2022-23 treble-winning campaign, also dismissed transfer speculation linking Rodri to Real Madrid as mere rumours.