Enzo Maresca confirms Rodri’s back surgery: For how long will the Manchester City star be out?
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that Rodri will undergo surgery on his back and will be out for a while. Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Rodri will undergo back surgery, addressing a lumbar issue the Spanish midfielder had been carrying for some time. The procedure is set to take place in the coming days, just weeks after Rodri returned from Spain’s triumphant run at the 2026 World Cup. “Rodri is going to have surgery for a back problem, I think on Monday. He needs a vacation and a few days of rest. He has to recover and then he’ll come back here with us,” Maresca said in a press conference. The 30-year-old had reportedly considered having the operation before the tournament, but chose to postpone it in order to be available for Spain’s campaign. That decision paid off on the pitch, as Rodri lifted the trophy with his country and was named winner of the Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player. Now, with the World Cup behind him, he’s turning his attention to fixing the issue that had been bothering him. 🚨 Enzo Maresca: “Rodri will have surgery on a back problem on Monday. He needs holiday, he needs to rest, recovery, and then he will be back here with us”.“Every manager wants to have Rodri, because he's a top player”. pic.twitter.com/UIr5wlj6S9— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 24, 2026 Details on the severity of the surgery have varied depending on the source, which has left some uncertainty over exactly how long City will be without their captain. What’s clear is that the club is treating the procedure as necessary to get Rodri right for the long haul of the new campaign, even if it means missing the opening weeks. When could Rodri return? Reports out of Spain, have characterized the operation as a minor, outpatient procedure that won’t require hospitalization and shouldn’t sideline Rodri for much more than four weeks, suggesting he could be back within the early stages of the season. However, other reports have painted a more cautious picture: both Yahoo Sports and NBC Sports have suggested that back surgery of this kind can require a lengthier recovery, potentially keeping Rodri out for multiple months rather than weeks. Until Manchester City provide a firmer timeline following the procedure, the exact date of his return remains unclear. Which matches could Rodri miss? Under the more conservative recovery estimates, Rodri is set to miss Manchester City’s Community Shield clash with Arsenal on August 16, along with the Premier League opener against Bournemouth on August 23. From there, he’d also be sidelined for matches against Crystal Palace and Coventry, as well as the Manchester derby against Manchester United on September 13, before the squad breaks for the international window in September. Should the longer recovery timeline prove accurate, that absence could stretch well beyond that stretch of fixtures.
