Rodri Explains Snubbing Real Madrid: Why He Chose Barcelona Over Mourinho's Project
Rodri has been open about how seriously he took Real Madrid's interest in him this summer, revealing that the Spanish capital club pursued him "all out" before he opted for Hansi Flick's project at Barcelona.
Speaking to Spanish sports radio station COPE, he said the club behaved impeccably and pursued him properly from the first approach. He spoke to many in and around the club, and admitted the warmth of those conversations made his eventual decision harder.
New manager Jose Mourinho communicated his footballing idea clearly and what he wanted from Rodri personally, and that approach appealed to him.
A pursuit that went beyond the coach
Inside Real, the sense that Rodri was the player they needed went well beyond the coach. Several figures at the club still regard him as the profile the squad is missing now - a controlling midfielder capable of dictating tempo in a way nobody currently on the books quite replicates. The scale of Mourinho's pursuit reflected a genuine conviction that Rodri was required.
Madrid have not gone out and found an alternative version of what he would have given them, so the gap the midfielder would have filled remains a gap.
A footballing decision, not a personal one
Rodri's reasons for turning that interest down were footballing rather than personal. His decision came down to where he could grow and contribute most - a project built around a squad full of young players, many of whom he knew already, and who fitted the way he understands the game. It was a decision about which team needed what he offers, and where he could make the biggest difference.
De la Fuente thought he was Madrid-bound
The saga even surprised those closest to him on the international stage. Spain boss Luis de la Fuente admitted in an interview with COPE on 22 September that he had been convinced Rodri was heading to Real Madrid. "I thought Rodri was going to join Real Madrid," he confessed, before the midfielder ultimately snubbed Florentino Perez's side for the Camp Nou.
Earlier reporting, on 24 September, had already captured Rodri confirming that Real Madrid "went all out" to sign him before his Barcelona switch, describing a summer tug-of-war that was far from straightforward.