15.9.2026
Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has finally revealed the true reason he decided to sign for Barcelona instead of Real Madrid this summer, while also discussing a conversation he had with José Mourinho.
To the surprise of some, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner left Man City during the summer transfer window, completing a reported £65.4million move to Barcelona.
Since arriving in Catalonia, the 30-year-old has featured five times, helping Hansi Flick’s side make a perfect start to the season, with Barça sitting top of La Liga after winning all of their Spanish top-flight matches so far this term.
So far, it appears Rodri made the correct decision by choosing to join Barça over arch-rivals Real Madrid, who also pursued the World Cup winner during the summer.
“The first thing I have to say is that I would have liked it to have been a quiet two or three weeks of vacation, but it wasn’t like that at all.
“There were many things to consider and such an important decision had to be made with two of the best clubs in the world. In the end, I made my decision based on sporting reasons, on what motivated me the most and on understanding where I could win and grow the most as a player.
“It wasn’t an easy decision at all; saying no to Real Madrid isn’t easy, especially since they treated me exceptionally well. In the end, Deco and Hansi’s leadership convinced me.”
Rodri added: “I’ve always based my decisions on sporting merit, on where I believe I’ll be able to win, be happy, and, above all, grow as a player. And that’s why I chose Barça, also because of the generation of players they have and what Hansi is able to build.”
Barcelona return to action against Racing Santander on Wednesday (September 16). AFP