Rodri reveals four reasons why he chose Barcelona over Real Madrid
Former Manchester City midfielder Rodri has revealed four reasons why he chose to sign for Barcelona FC over Real Madrid despite having prior discussions with Jose Mourinho.
Rodri who spoke with Mundo Deportivo on Tuesday said that his decision to join Barcelona over Real Madrid was driven purely by football and sporting aspects.
According to him, saying no to Real Madrid was not easy but he chose to join Barcelona because he feels he can win and grow the most as a player at Camp Nou.
He said; “Saying NO to Real Madrid was not easy, especially since they treated me so well.
“I made my decision based on sporting aspects, on what excited me more and where I felt I could win and grow the most as a player.
“Mourinho called me and clearly expressed his desire for me to join the club. He treated me very well.
“When I made my decision, I called him to thank him for his interest and for how he treated me,” he said.
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Rodri who was pursued heavily by Real Madrid also disclosed that one of the reasons he moved Barcelona was because of the fans who showed him love from the first day.
“I was impressed with the Barcelona fans. I felt their love since the first day”.
“I came here to give everything I’ve got, and to make them even happier”. The player said.
Rodri who emerged as the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner also refuted claims that he rejected Real Madrid because their players decided to boycott the award ceremony the year he became the victorious.
“It’s NOT true that I rejected Real Madrid because they boycott that Ballon d’Or. At the time, it didn’t affect me. It was my special day”.
“There’s no point in talking about people who were not at the ceremony. It was a beautiful moment for my family and I,” he concluded.
Rodri moved to Barcelona in the summer in an agreement with Manchester City worth up to €76.5 million with €60 million paid upfront plus add-ons.
