Rodri: The Decision Was Tough, But Barça Was My First Choice

Barcelona's newest signing, Rodri, was immediately presented to the local media following the announcement of his transfer from Manchester City. At a special press conference at Camp Nou, the midfielder shared his reasons for choosing the Catalan giants and his expectations upon joining the club.

“First and foremost, I want to express how thrilled I am to be here with you all on such a special day for me, my team, and my family. This marks a very important chapter in my career. The decision was a difficult one, primarily because it meant leaving City – a club that gave me everything and made me incredibly happy. I will always be grateful to everyone there who understood that this was the right time for me to move on. Barcelona is a massive club, a global benchmark for its football philosophy and the values it represents. As you know, I had other options, but Barça was always my first choice, as I told Joan Laporta.

I'm here to play. My operation was minor, and I was discharged immediately. I hope to be able to train normally as early as tomorrow, depending on what the coach decides. I've just finalized my transfer, and I hope to be available to Hansi Flick as soon as possible. I spent almost two months with many of my new teammates, so I received a warm welcome. This is a very young locker room with a strong desire for significant success. I hope to contribute what I was brought here for. I'm joining a united and enthusiastic squad.

I also spoke with Hansi, who expressed his excitement. I'm very motivated to train under him. He has a very bold vision for the game that I really appreciate. I still have room for development, so he can complement my qualities. I had more contact with Deco and Joan. He's a direct coach who tells you exactly what he expects. For me, it's about bringing experience that the team needs. I need to inspire my teammates and contribute. I've said before that Sergio Busquets is a great role model. I understand the comparisons between us due to our position and style. It's a privilege. We have both similar and different qualities. I've always admired him and tried to learn from him. Now he's with the B team, so I'll be watching him a bit more. He's a great friend, teammate, and role model.

Regarding Julián Álvarez, I'm generally cautious about players who aren't part of the club. I respect Atlético Madrid, and Julián is a great footballer and one of the best strikers. That's all I can say. It's clear that Deco and the management are constantly thinking about how to improve the squad. Marc Bernal? I'm a 30-year-old player arriving with experience that many players in this squad don't possess. I'm here to contribute and share my experience with my teammates. Marc is showing great progress and has recovered incredibly from his injury. I hope to help him in every way possible and teach him important things. He can grow alongside me, which is significant. Lamine Yamal understands football at a collective level. We are here to win trophies, and we don't pay much attention to individual accolades. They are a consequence of doing things well. Lamine is making incredible progress.

When offers started coming in, the first step was to realize that my time at my previous club had come to an end, so I needed to find a new team. I processed that for a while. It was the most special club I've ever been a part of. I researched and analyzed, and the interested clubs were all very big. Together with my family and my team, we made what we believed was the best decision. My choices have always been driven by sporting challenges. Barça has developed significantly in recent years. The team has won two consecutive titles, which is quite difficult, and they were also on the verge of winning the coveted Champions League. Among the reasons I came here is not just the current form, but also the potential. Our midfield is admirable. We have great players across all lines. I want to convey the desire to continue improving,” Rodri commented.