All articles tagged with #rodri
Barça extended their perfect La Liga start with a 5-0 win at Mestalla, with Lamine Yamal, Fermín López and Rodri starring. Hansi Flick praised the trio, explained Yamal played the full 90 despite a knock, and touched on managing a deep squad as Barça prepare for a midweek Champions League clash with Feyenoord.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick named his starting XI to face Valencia in La Liga, lining up an attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Anthony Gordon. Rodri makes his first Barcelona start since joining from Manchester City, with Hamza Abdelkarim among the substitutes. Barcelona sit top of La Liga on 9 points, level with Real Madrid and Real Betis.
Mourinho, back for a second spell at Real Madrid, said the club didn’t need Rodri after Barcelona signed the Spain midfielder, noting Madrid made a strong offer but Rodri had doubts about his future. Madrid emphasized they have other quality options and potential signings could still come, ahead of their La Liga opener with Espanyol.
Mourinho revealed Real Madrid made a very good offer to Rodri, but the Spain midfielder hesitated and ultimately signed for Barcelona in a €75m move, with Rodri later saying Barca was his first choice, drawn to Hansi Flick’s style.
Barcelona completed the €75m signing of Rodri from Manchester City; Hansi Flick called him perhaps the best No. 6, noting he can control games, contribute in defense and aerial duels, and raise the level of the squad, with Rodri in good shape after back surgery and set to begin training ahead of Barca’s La Liga title defense.
Rodri chose Barcelona over Real Madrid, triggering a fiery Madrid reaction led by AS columnist Tomas Roncero, who said Real had offered a huge contract but Barca's pull—via Deco, Laporta, Hansi Flick and Guardiola—swayed him. He argued Barcelona has less pressure and fewer European ambitions than Real Madrid, wished Rodri well, and teased that Barca might not win another Champions League, while contrasting Barca's Montjuic venue with Real's modern Bernabéu.
FC Barcelona has signed Rodri from Manchester City for €60 million upfront (potentially rising to €76.5 million with add-ons), a deal that could shift the balance in the Champions League race as Barca positions itself among the favorites again.
Barcelona confirm the £65m signing of Rodri from Manchester City on a four-year contract, returning him to Spanish football after seven seasons in Manchester; the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner leaves City with 298 appearances and 12 trophies, including the 2023 Champions League, and bids fans farewell.
Rodri touched down in Barcelona to complete his transfer from Manchester City after helping Spain win World Cup 2026; he signs a four-year deal worth over €70 million and says playing for Barcelona is a dream while targeting Champions League glory.
Spain midfielder Rodri arrives in Barcelona to finalize a about £65m transfer from Manchester City on a four-year contract, saying it’s a dream to play for Barça and vowing to chase Champions League glory with his new team.
Valdano argues Rodri would have dramatically transformed Real Madrid’s midfield—speeding up build‑ups and improving distribution—more than he would have altered Barcelona’s approach. He suggests Barca would benefit but not redefine its identity under Flick, while Madrid would gain an influential, game‑changing presence. He also notes Rodri’s value is measured by influence (roughly 40m for Madrid vs 35m for Barca) rather than goal output.
Barcelona’s $88.5 million Rodri deal from Manchester City could trigger a market domino effect: Barca must trim wage space by offloading fringe players (Tommy Marques, Marc Casado, Hector Fort) as they push for Julian Alvarez, while City seek midfield reinforcements (Ayyoub Bouaddi) and keep tabs on Enzo Fernandez, potentially unleashing a flurry of moves involving Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Palace in the final days of the window.
Fermín López has been registered with Barcelona’s No. 7 after Ferran Torres’ departure, while Rodri is set to wear No.16; Anthony Gordon was linked to No.7 but will likely take No.17 as Casadó departs.
Barcelona have agreed a €76.5m deal with Manchester City to sign Rodri on a four-year contract, returning to Spain; the fee breaks down as €60m upfront with add-ons, with at least €71.5m due to highly achievable bonuses, and Real Madrid had shown interest but Rodri chose Barca, reuniting with several Spanish teammates at Camp Nou.
Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield, underscoring their unrivaled squad depth with new signings Guimaraes and Tzolis, while Odegaard returned to top form; City looked vulnerable in midfield without Rodri, signaling possible shakeups ahead of the season.