Rodri surgery Monday; Maresca dismisses Madrid links
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- Rodri will undergo back surgery on Monday, new Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca confirmed at his first news conference, with the midfielder then needing a holiday and recovery period before rejoining the squad.
- Rodri won the World Cup with Spain last week and was named Golden Ball winner as player of the tournament, despite his last two club seasons being disrupted by an ACL injury that sidelined him for most of 2024-25 and several subsequent setbacks.
- Maresca dismissed Real Madrid transfer speculation around the Ballon d'Or winner, saying "around big players there are always speculations" and that "every manager wants to have Rodri because he is a top player."
- Maresca called succeeding Pep Guardiola "a privilege," describing the outgoing Catalan as "the best coach in the world in the last 20-25 years," and acknowledged City have had just three managers in the last 16 years.
- Maresca left Chelsea in January after 18 months in charge, having previously served as Guardiola's assistant during City's 2022-23 Treble-winning season.
- Maresca hinted at "a few things to do" in the transfer window but declined to address the futures of goalkeeper James Trafford or returning midfielder Jack Grealish, who spent last season on loan at Everton and is back in training with City.
Why it matters: Rodri, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner and Spain's World Cup captain, faces an indefinite absence after Monday's surgery — meaning Maresca begins life at City without his marquee midfielder for the Community Shield against Arsenal on August 16. The layoff extends a two-year pattern of injury disruption that already kept Rodri out for most of 2024-25, sharpening focus on squad depth from day one of the post-Guardiola era.
