Rodri explains why he called Jose Mourinho after choosing Barcelona over Real Madrid | OneFootball

During the summer, Real Madrid failed in their bid to sign Rodri – and to make matters worse, he ended up at arch rivals Barcelona. Strong efforts were made to convince him to join, and despite being heavy favourites for much of the transfer window, they ultimately missed out.

Rodri has now opened up on his summer move during an interview with MD. He gave an insight into why he chose not to join Real Madrid, making it clear that the decision was a sporting one.

“The first thing I have to say is that I would have liked it to have been two or three weeks of quiet vacation and they were not at all. Many things had to be analysed, and such an important decision had to be made with two of the best clubs in the world. In the end I made a decision on the sporting level, so it gave me a little more desire and to understand where I could win and grow more as a player. It was not an easy decision at all, saying no to Madrid is not easy, and above all that, they behaved exemplarily with me. In the end, Deco and Hansi convinced me.”

Rodri on Mourinho: He treated me very well

Rodri also spoke on the conversations he had with Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho, both before and after he made the decision not to join.

“I don’t think it’s his thing to reveal a private conversation, but he obviously expressed his desire for me to join, and he told me what I could bring to the team. The treatment was very good. When I made the decision, I also called him to thank him for his interest and treatment. I think he’s a great coach, he’s already shown it wherever he’s gone in his great stages and Real Madrid are going to be a tough opponent for this league.”

He also made it very clear that Real Madrid’s decision to boycott his 2024 Ballon d’Or victory played no part in his thinking.

“I already said it, at the time it did not affect me because that was my day and I think it did not make much sense to talk about people who were not there, who were not part of that ceremony and that beautiful moment for me and my family. Anyone who knows me knows that I try to abstract myself from this kind of thing, as well as from the media issue. I focus on football. In that sense I’m very English, isn’t I? The Premier League is football and little else.”