**Manchester City star Rodri has admitted he feared he would not be able to return from the cruciate ligament tear he suffered in in 2024.**
[AS report comments from the Manchester City](https://as.com/futbol/seleccion/rodri-ganar-con-tu-pais-es-mas-especial-que-con-tu-club-f202606-n/) midfielder from an interview with DAZN’s Revelado programme.
**Injury nightmare**
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The 29-year-old looked back at various moments of his career to date, including his injury absence last season.
The midfielder was at his peak, having won the Ballon D’Or, when he suffered a cruciate ligament tear in September 2024.
That injury saw him spend the following seven months, 220 days, out recovering, missing most of the season before he returned in April 2025. In total, he missed 51 games for club and country in the period.
**Return doubts**
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It was the first major injury of his career, with his previous absences at Manchester City totalling seven games in comparison. And he admits he had doubts he would be able to return from it.
“This is part of life. Not-so-good moments,” he said when looking at a photo of the moment he got injury.
“It’s the knee injury I had. You have to face it in the most positive way possible. It was a time for reflection, for recovery. It was difficult, I won’t deny it, but you recover from it and come out stronger. Now I’m back and I feel stronger than before.
“When I came back, I had some doubts about being able to play normally again. I felt very limited, in a lot of pain. When you stop completely, your body brings out what it hasn’t been able to give you during that time.
“There was a moment of doubt where I wondered not just if I would return to my previous level, but if I would ever play again. I’ve proven that I have. I’ve returned to that consistency in my football. It’s a long road, that’s clear.”