Rodri has spoken openly about the difficult decision he made during the summer, when he turned down interest from Real Madrid and chose to move to Barcelona from Manchester City.
The Spanish midfielder admitted that it was not easy to say “no” to the club from the Santiago Bernabéu, but Barcelona’s sporting project under Hansi Flick proved decisive.
The End of a Chapter at Manchester City
Rodri’s departure from Manchester City was one of the biggest stories of the summer transfer window.
The 30-year-old decided to leave the Premier League and return to La Liga, finding himself at the center of a fierce battle between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner insists that his choice was motivated solely by sporting considerations.
According to him, financial offers and the media attention surrounding the transfer played no role in his final decision. What convinced him was the project Barcelona are building with Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco.
“It Was a Process, Not an Immediate Decision”
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Rodri explained that his departure from Manchester City happened gradually.
“It was more of a process than a decision. First, you have to understand that your time at a club is coming to an end and that perhaps you want a new challenge,” he said.
“Then, when the opportunity to join Barcelona came up, I realized it was the best option for me for many reasons.”
Real Madrid had shown strong interest in him, but Rodri said Barcelona had more elements that attracted him from a sporting perspective.
“I have always made my decisions based on football: where I believe I can win, be happy and, above all, develop as a player,” he added. “That is why I chose Barça, also because of the generation of players they have and what Hansi is building. In the end, Deco and Hansi convinced me.”
“It Wasn’t Easy to Say No to Real Madrid”
Rodri admitted that choosing between the two historic rivals was extremely difficult.
“I had to weigh up many things and make such an important decision between two of the best clubs in the world,” he explained.
“In the end, I based my decision on the sporting side, what generated the most excitement for me and where I believed I could win and develop the most.”
“It was not an easy decision at all. Saying no to Madrid was not easy, especially because they treated me extremely well.”
Barcelona Also Won Him Over with Their Personal Approach
In addition to the sporting project, Rodri praised the way Barcelona handled the transfer process.
He said the Catalan club never put pressure on him and that the approach of the club’s officials gave him the feeling of being in a family environment.
“At no point did they put me under pressure. Everyone expressed their desire for me to be part of the team, for us to work together and see what I could bring to the squad,” Rodri said.
“Everything was more about football, about what they thought I could bring both on and off the pitch. I really liked that.”
According to him, Barcelona gave him the impression of being a more family-oriented and close-knit club.
The Ballon d’Or Controversy Did Not Influence His Decision
Rodri’s transfer came after major controversy surrounding the Ballon d’Or ceremony, when Real Madrid boycotted the event after the Spaniard won the award ahead of Vinicius Junior.
However, Rodri categorically denied that the situation had influenced his decision to reject Madrid.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I try to stay away from these things and from the media noise,” he said.
“I focus on football. In that respect, I’m very English, right? The Premier League is football and very little else.”
A Key Role in Flick’s Barcelona
Now that the transfer saga is over, Rodri is fully focused on his new challenge with Barcelona.
He is expected to play a central role in Hansi Flick’s midfield, not only because of his experience and quality, but also because he can help lead the club’s new generation of players.
Barcelona hope that his composure on the ball, tactical intelligence and ability to control the tempo of the game will help the team compete for trophies in Spain and Europe.
Meanwhile, the rivalry with Real Madrid has gained another dimension.
Rodri chose Barcelona after turning down one of the biggest clubs in the world. Now he will have to prove on the pitch that he made the right decision.