, Rodri detailed how his exit from Man City naturally evolved before the Catalan club made their move. “It\u2019s been a process, rather than a decision,” he explained. “First, you have to realise that your time there has come to an end and that you might want a new challenge. From there, the moment the opportunity at Barcelona arose, I realised it was the best thing for me for many reasons.”<\/span><\/p>\nThe midfielder was highly coveted by Real Madrid, making his final destination a bitter pill for Los Blancos to swallow. However, Rodri stressed that Barca’s exciting squad and hierarchy tipped the scales. “I\u2019ve always based my decisions on sporting considerations – where I believe I\u2019ll be able to win, be happy and, above all, develop as a player,” he added. “And that\u2019s why I\u2019ve chosen Barca – also because of the generation of players they have and what Hansi is building there. Ultimately, Deco and Hansi, at the top of the organisation, convinced me.”<\/span><\/p>\nRejecting the Bernabeu giants was still a heavy burden for the Spanish international. “I had to weigh up a lot of things and make such an important decision between two of the best clubs in the world,” he noted. “In the end, I made my decision based on sporting considerations – on what sparked a bit more enthusiasm in me and on understanding where I could win and develop the most as a player. It wasn\u2019t an easy decision at all; saying no to Madrid wasn\u2019t easy, especially as they treated me exceptionally well.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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