Rodri out 'for a long time' but Man City waits to learn extent of knee injury, Guardiola says

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will be sidelined “for a long time” with a right knee injury, manager Pep Guardiola said Tuesday, but the club is waiting to discover the severity of the problem sustained against Arsenal in the Premier League over the weekend.

Rodri, who is among the favorites to win the Ballon d’Or for 2024, flew to Spain on Monday to undergo tests. Sections of the British media have reported that the Spain international has suffered an ACL injury.

Guardiola was asked about Rodri's condition after City's 2-1 win over Watford in the English League Cup late Tuesday and said the club should know more on Wednesday.

“There’s some opinions that it will be less than we expect,” Guardiola said. “We’re waiting for the last phone calls from the doctors to know exactly what definitely he has and the type of surgery he has to get.”

Rodri limped off in the 20th minute of the 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on Sunday after hurting his right knee when jostling with Arsenal’s Thomas Partey in the box at a corner.

If Rodri is missing for a long period of time, it seriously damages City's chances of winning the Premier League for a record-extending fifth straight season. City leads the league by a point after five games.

Rodri is arguably City’s most important player because of how he protects the defense and conducts the team’s passing game.

Guardiola’s team has not lost any of the last 48 Premier League games in which Rodri has featured. His only defeat last season in any competition was the FA Cup final loss to Manchester United in May.

“He is the best holding midfielder in the world. I would say he is a potential Ballon d’Or winner,” Guardiola said of Rodri on Sunday.

Just last week, Rodri said top players could soon go on strike because of the number of games they are being asked to play as new competitions are introduced to an already-packed soccer calendar and matches are added to existing tournaments.

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Manchester City's Rodri lays on the pitch after collision during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Rodri attends a press conference at the City Football Academy in Manchester, England, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

Manchester City's Rodri receives treatment during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Rodri reacts to an injury, during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (Martin Rickett/PA via AP)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)