Manchester City star Rodri attended the NBA Paris Games on Thursday night alongside his medical student partner, Laura Iglesias, as he continues recovering from an ACL injury.
A day after City’s 4-2 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, leaving their league phase hopes hanging by a thread, the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder enjoyed courtside seats for the clash between the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs.
Rodri shared that it was his first NBA game in a video on the NBA’s social media, saying, “I want to make sure I have the right picture,” as he captured the moment.
The Spaniard, all smiles with Iglesias, also took time to meet basketball legend Pau Gasol and football star Ada Hegerberg.
San Antonio Spurs dominated the game, securing a 140-110 victory on the event’s opening night.
Manchester City star Rodri joined partner Laura Iglesias at the NBA Paris Games on Thursday
The midfielder was attending his first NBA game as he continues to recover from an ACL injury
He also posed alongside the likes of former basketball star Pau Gasol and Norwegian footballer Ada Hegerberg
The match was the first of two Paris Games ties involving the two teams, with the second to be played on Saturday.
Rodri, meanwhile, was initially ruled out for the reason after rupturing his ACL in September, but reports since have suggested that he could play again this campaign.
The Ballon d’Or winner’s absence has been devastating on Pep Guardiola’s side with the reigning champions dropping to fifth in the Premier League standings, though they have won three of their last five in the league, with two draws too.
Rodri has been unavailable since rupturing his ACL and required extensive surgery on the ligament tear that was expected to take the remainder of the season to fully heal.
However, the midfielder has given a boost to his underperforming team-mates that he could be back in action far sooner than expected, as reported by The Sun.
The 28-year-old was expected to miss the entirety of the remaining Premier League fixtures, but has impressed medics with his dedication and physical recover post-surgery.
In November, it was reported that he had already started running, though any comeback would be late into the campaign.