Rodri: Barcelona was my first choice, ready to contribute now

Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez, Barcelona's new signing, expressed his immense happiness at joining the Catalan club, confirming that Barcelona was his first choice from the moment he decided to leave Manchester City.

During his presentation as a new player at Barcelona, Rodrigo said: "The first thing I want to say is that I am very happy to be here; it is a very important day in my career. The decision to leave Manchester City was difficult because it is the club that gave me so much, and I thank them for understanding that the time had come to leave."

He added: "Barcelona has always been a reference for me in terms of playing style and the values it represents, and it was my first choice. I received many offers, and there were many reasons to choose Barcelona, but the most important thing I thought about was the sporting challenge."

Rodrigo spoke about Barcelona's coach Hans Flick, noting that the presence of the German manager was one of the factors that encouraged him to take on this new experience, saying: "I spoke with Flick, and he conveyed his enthusiasm for the project to me. I am excited to work with a brave coach like him, and I believe that despite my age, I still have room to develop, and he can help me with that."

Regarding Barcelona's ambitions in the upcoming period, Rodrigo expressed great optimism, stating: "We aspire to win everything. This team has already managed to win the Spanish league title twice in a row, and in Europe, it was close to winning the Champions League. One of the reasons for my arrival is also to see the significant development that the project is undergoing; I want to bring my experience to my teammates. I came to add to the team."

Rodrigo refrained from labeling Barcelona as the "best midfield in the world" after his arrival, but praised his teammates, saying: "I don't like these classifications much, but even before I arrived, Barcelona's midfield was fantastic. We have great players in all positions who possess great flexibility, and the team is very complete."

He also talked about his teammate Lamine Yamal, whom he previously nominated for the Ballon d'Or in the future, saying: "Lamine is a player who understands football in a collective way, and his development is amazing. I don't know when he will win the Ballon d'Or, but he has all the qualities to reach the highest level."

Rodrigo addressed the comparison between him and Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets, expressing his admiration for him, saying: "He has always been one of the most important references for me. The comparison is logical due to the position and playing style; I admired him a lot, and we played together in the national team."

He added regarding young Marc Bernal: "I want to help him with my experience. I am a 30-year-old player with more experiences than him, and I can pass on what I have learned throughout my career. Marc has a great future, and it is important for young players to benefit from the experiences of more experienced players."

When asked about the possibility of Argentine Julian Alvarez joining Barcelona, Rodrigo declined to comment, saying: "I always prefer to be cautious when talking about players belonging to other clubs. He is a great player, and any team would want to have a player like him, but in the end, he is a player at Atletico Madrid."

Rodrigo concluded his remarks by revealing his physical readiness, confirming that the talk about undergoing back surgery was exaggerated, saying: "I am ready now. What was said about the back surgery was not a big deal; it was a simple procedure, and I will train normally with the team, and I am at the coach's disposal when he sees that I am ready to participate."