The Spaniard limped off in the first half of City's 2-2 draw with Arsenal after turning awkwardly in a tussle with Thomas Partey.

Reports soon claimed Rodri could be out for the rest of the season with the serious-looking injury, and he later visited a specialist in Barcelona.

Guardiola had said in midweek that Rodri was facing a long spell on the sidelines, describing him as "irreplaceable", with the club confirming it was a ligament injury the next day.

Speaking ahead of their Premier League trip to Newcastle United this weekend, the manager explained the extent of the midfielder's injury, and the news was not good.

"[Rodri had] surgery this morning [on his] ACL and next season he will be here. This season is over," Guardiola said.

"Unfortunately, we got the worst [news] but these things happen. We will be there to support him in his recovery step-by-step.

"What he gives us, we don't have a similar player. But the others can all together replace what Rodri has given since his arrival to us.

"We will have to do it as a team and find a way to play a lot of matches without an important player for us.

"If we don't win, then it is because of Rodri. We are stronger with him and stronger with [Nathan] Ake and [Oscar] Bobb and Kevin [De Bruyne] but that is what it is. We don't want it, but it is football.

"As a club, we have magnificent players, and we will find a solution."

Each of City's past four Premier League defeats have all come when Rodri has not featured in the side. Indeed, the 28-year-old is unbeaten in his past 52 Premier League appearances (won 42, drawn 10), a run stretching back to February 2023.

City only lost one of the 50 matches in which Rodri appeared across all competitions last season – the FA Cup final against Manchester United – and its win percentage dropped from 76 per cent to 55.6 per cent in the nine games it played without him.

Asked if City would bring in a replacement for the midfielder in the January transfer window, Guardiola added: "We will talk, we will see what is going on. We have time to see."