Rodri has explained why he turned down interest from Real Madrid this summer and instead joined Barcelona from Manchester City, saying the football project on offer mattered more to him than the size of any contract or the name of the club.
The Spanish midfielder returned to his home country to sign for Barcelona, and the move became one of the most talked-about transfer sagas of the summer, largely because Real Madrid were also in the running for his signature.
Barcelona have made a perfect start to the new season, winning all five of their league matches so far, and Rodri's arrival has drawn some of the biggest attention at the club.
For a time, it looked as though the 30-year-old could end up at Real Madrid once the 2026 World Cup finished. In the end, though, he chose differently, and he has now explained the reasons behind that decision.
Weighing up the decision
Speaking to the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Rodri admitted the choice was far from easy. Real Madrid's proposal was attractive, and the club had clearly laid out the role he could expect to play in the team.
He said, however, that he did not want to base his decision on the name of the club or the scale of the offer. Instead, he prioritised the sporting side of the move and the conditions he felt would help him develop the most.
Rodri explained that he needed time to weigh everything up, since turning down an offer from Real Madrid is not a simple matter. He ultimately concluded that Barcelona was the environment in which he could contribute while continuing to grow as a footballer.
The role of Deco and Hansi Flick
The way Barcelona's staff approached him appears to have played a significant part in his final decision. Deco, the club's sporting director, and head coach Hansi Flick were among those who made him feel there was a genuine desire to work with him, without pressuring him to decide.
That sense of trust, calm and a more family-like atmosphere proved decisive for Rodri, who said his choice was based less on numbers, statistics or promises and more on the football plan put in front of him.
He said the leadership shown by Deco and Flick had made the difference, and that at no point did they pressure him. Everyone involved, he said, expressed a wish to integrate him into the squad, to work with him and to see what he could offer.
Rodri said he had genuinely valued their approach and the absence of stress around the process, adding that he had wanted a warm, family-style atmosphere rather than a pitch built on statistics. He said it had been more about football itself, and that he always bases his decisions on sporting value, on where he believes he can win, be happy and, above all, keep developing as a player. That, he said, was why he chose Barcelona.
Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d'Or, spent five seasons at Manchester City before returning to Spain. Deco is Barcelona's sporting director and a former Barcelona and Portugal midfielder, while Flick, the club's head coach, previously managed Germany and Bayern Munich.
