Rodri’s move to Barcelona was not simply a change of shirt or the beginning of another chapter in his career. The Spanish midfielder has revealed a number of details about his decision, his ambitions with the Catalan club and what he has seen inside the dressing room since his arrival. As Barcelona enters a new phase with a group of young players, Rodri believes there is a much bigger objective driving the team forward.
While discussing the Champions League, Lamine Yamal and the Ballon d’Or, Rodri also looked back at the moment when he realized that his chapter at Manchester City was beginning to come to an end. The player who once believed he would finish his career in England spoke openly about the reasons that pushed him to seek a new challenge and why choosing Barcelona was not a difficult decision for him.
Rodri confirmed that there is a special desire within Barcelona to win the Champions League, pointing out that the club is determined to lift a trophy it has not won for 11 years. He said the team had come close in recent years but still needed that small final step to complete the job.
Despite believing Barcelona have the ability to win the Champions League, Rodri stressed the importance of approaching the competition intelligently, insisting that the team is not the leading favorite at this stage. He believes the players must approach the tournament with the same mentality Spain used on its path to the World Cup, building step by step and refusing to believe anything has been achieved before it actually happens.
Rodri also discussed Lamine Yamal, explaining that leadership can take many forms. Some players lead through words, others through example, while he believes Lamine leads Barcelona through the football he produces, his strong personality, confidence and courage on the pitch.
Rodri pointed out that Lamine, despite being only 19, already has a dominant personality and enormous confidence, although he still has time to learn other aspects of leadership. He added that he himself learned from experienced players such as Sergio Ramos and Sergio Busquets, something that can also help Lamine develop in the coming years.
Regarding the Ballon d’Or, Rodri stressed that he focuses primarily on collective trophies, explaining that individual awards do not depend entirely on the player but are decided by the journalists taking part in the vote. Regarding Barcelona’s decision to support Lamine Yamal, Rodri said the club believes the young star is the most deserving candidate, describing that position as completely legitimate.
Rodri also expressed his hope that the Ballon d’Or will go to a Spanish player, arguing that Spanish football deserves recognition once again, particularly after the major achievement reached with the national team. In his view, the importance of that achievement is not only about winning the trophy but also about the way it was achieved.
Rodri then returned to his time at Manchester City, a club where he once believed he would finish his career. He confirmed that he was happy there and experienced one of the best periods alongside a generation he considers one of the finest in English football history, as well as under the manager who led the team during that era.
The midfielder explained that his departure was not caused by poor treatment or problems with his status at Manchester City. Instead, he began to feel that the club was entering a new cycle. With new players arriving and a different generation beginning to emerge, Rodri started to believe that his chapter at the club might be coming to an end.
He added that he thought about the situation more after the World Cup before reaching the conclusion that a new experience could be the best option for him. Barcelona eventually became his choice because he saw the club as a project that matched his ambition to continue competing and winning.
Rodri revealed that he needed new challenges and new motivation after his time at Manchester City, stressing that his decisions have always been linked to the sporting project and his desire to keep winning. In his view, Barcelona has the ingredients to become one of the best clubs in the world in the coming years.
He also explained that saying yes to a club with Barcelona’s history, meaning and footballing appeal was not a difficult decision. According to Rodri, the difficult part was accepting that his Manchester City chapter had come to an end.
The Barcelona midfielder also discussed his decision to stay away from social media, confirming that he remains without social media accounts at the age of 30 and has no intention of changing that. He said that the more time passes, the more convinced he becomes that it was the right decision, explaining that he has never felt he needed social media.
Rodri believes the decision helped him significantly throughout his career, particularly by keeping him away from some of the negative aspects that can accompany social media, although he acknowledged that the platforms also have positive sides. Ultimately, he summed up his position simply by saying that he does not need it.
He also discussed the importance of education and its influence on his character, explaining that his parents were very committed to his studies and that he always advises young players to continue their education, whether they are at the beginning of their professional careers or still in youth football.
Rodri explained that education was not simply about gaining knowledge. It also helped him step away from the daily pressure of football and remain connected to normal life. Spending time with classmates at school and university and having ordinary conversations away from money and the football world helped him greatly.
Speaking about La Liga after returning to Spain, Rodri revealed that there was one particular aspect that had made him more hesitant about returning. He believes Spain has a lot to learn from countries such as England, particularly in the way people and the media approach football.
He pointed out that the focus in England is more heavily centered on football itself, with fans, commentators and analysts living the game completely, while Spain is different in this regard. Rodri confirmed that he learned an important lesson from the differences between the two environments.