Rodri: Rejecting Real Madrid was not an easy decision, and this is why I chose FC Barcelona

Spanish midfielder Rodri has revealed the real reason behind his decision to move to FC Barcelona during the summer transfer window, despite interest from Real Madrid. He confirmed that his final decision was based on his belief in the sporting project of Barcelona.

Rodri said: "It was more of a process than a decision. First, you have to understand that your cycle has ended and that you perhaps want to take on a new challenge, a place where you can continue to build your career. I have to thank Manchester City for everything they have given me; it has been seven unforgettable years on a personal level and in football."

He added: "From the moment the opportunity at FC Barcelona appeared, I understood it was the best for me for many reasons. I have always based my decisions on the sporting side, on the place where I believe I can win and be happy, and above all, develop as a player. That is why I chose FC Barcelona, also because of the generation of players it has and what Xavi can build."

He explained: "It was supposed to be a quiet two or three-week break, but it wasn't that at all. We had to analyze a lot of things and make a very important decision between two of the best clubs in the world."

He continued: "In the end, I made my decision from a sporting perspective, based on what sparked my desire more, and understanding the place where I can win and develop more as a player. It was not an easy decision at all; saying no to Real Madrid is not easy, and on top of that, they treated me perfectly. In the end, Deco and Hansi's management convinced me."

He said: "At no moment did FC Barcelona put any pressure on me at all, everyone expressed their desire to rely on me and work with me, and what I can offer the team, and I was very impressed with the way they treated me and not getting into a state of anxiety."

He added: "It was simply about conveying the excitement they had for me joining the project they were building, which they felt they needed this type of player for. Above all, I loved the natural way they communicated this to me. I liked it a lot; it felt very family-oriented, like a family club, and that attracted me a lot."

Rodri has denied that FC Barcelona's move to sign him is linked to attempts to disrupt Real Madrid's plans or influence the position of the royal club, emphasizing that what attracted him to the Catalan project was primarily the sporting aspect.

He said: "It wasn't about trying to convince you with numbers, no. It was more related to football, to what they saw I could bring on and off the pitch, and I really liked that."

He concluded his remarks about Vinícius's boycott of the Ballon d'Or ceremony he attended two years ago: "As I said at that time, it didn't affect me, because that was my day, and I think there wasn't much sense in talking about people who weren't there, who weren't part of that ceremony and that beautiful moment for me and my family. Those who know me know that I try to stay away from this kind of thing, as well as from the media side. I focus on football. In this regard, I am very English, right? The Premier League is football and a little bit more than that."