Amid all the flashy signings of Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, acquiring the services of Rodri was perhaps Barcelona’s biggest achievement this past summer.
The Catalans were able to effectively steal the former Manchester City star from the hands of Real Madrid, who reportedly had a deal in place with the midfielder.
In doing so, Barcelona not only acquired one of the best players in the world but also left Real Madrid devoid of a midfield leader – something that has come to haunt Los Blancos.
How Barcelona schooled Real Madrid
Deco deserves credit for pulling off the Rodri heist. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
A recent report from Diario SPORT has revealed key insights into Rodri’s transfer saga that became the big talking point this past summer.
At the centre of it all was a costly error in judgement from the Real Madrid hierarchy. Having all but wrapped up a deal, Madrid’s director of international football, Juni Calafat, pushed to trim the costs late on, in essence attempting to haggle over a player of Rodri’s calibre.
That proved fatal. Already uneasy about the treatment they had received, and the prospect of a dressing room in turmoil, Rodri’s camp grew frustrated, allowing Barcelona to sneak in.
The Catalan charm offensive
Rodri has started his career at Barcelona on a positive note. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Once Deco learned of the opening, Hansi Flick sanctioned the move instantly, and the entire club swung into action.
After City agreed to respect the player’s wishes, Deco sold Rodri the vision, promising a side ready to assault the Champions League, while a chorus of the club’s World Cup winners, Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal among them, urged him to choose the Camp Nou.
A video call with Laporta, Flick and Deco proved vital, in which Rodri was treated as the elite footballer he is. Barça simply matched the terms Madrid had agreed before Calafat’s intervention.
Rodri hasn’t disappointed either, enjoying a brilliant start to the new season. However, he was surprisingly benched for the 4-2 defeat at PSG, with Flick insisting the call was purely about managing the midfielder’s minutes ahead of the Clasico.