TA: Rodri changed his transfer priority from Real Madrid to Barcelona because of the compatibility of their playing styles.

According to The Athletic, Rodri's decision to transfer from Real Madrid to Barcelona this summer was related to the wedding of his friend Codina. Real Madrid was initially considered the frontrunner, but Rodri gradually changed his mind after a secret meeting with Barcelona's sporting director Deco. Ultimately, he valued Barcelona's possession-based system, which he was familiar with at Manchester City and the Spanish national team, and decided to join Barcelona.

There's a Spanish proverb: "One wedding leads to another." And this summer, a wedding unexpectedly led to a blockbuster transfer – Rodri ultimately decided to leave Manchester City and join Barcelona.

Barcelona withstood competition from Real Madrid and finally completed the deal, which could have cost up to €76.5 million, including a fixed transfer fee and add-ons.

In late July, Rodri, the 30-year-old captain who had just led Spain to the World Cup victory and been named the tournament's best player, was vacationing on the Costa Brava. During his stay, he was invited to attend the wedding of his friend Dani Cordina.

Codina is currently Barcelona's Director of Operations and Player Services, a position he will assume in 2025. Prior to this, he held a similar role at Manchester City, where he met and became friends with Rodri. Several members of Guardiola's coaching staff also attended the wedding held in northeastern Spain.

Before arriving at the wedding venue, Rodri spent a few relaxing days on the Catalan coast, about a two-hour drive north of Barcelona. However, during that time he had an important matter to attend to and needed help with.

Rodri made a very specific request: he wanted to find a secluded place to have lunch with an important person, and repeatedly emphasized that he could not be recognized.

Eventually, he was taken to a restaurant in Beigur called Can Pitu. It was a traditional restaurant located in a popular local town, though Can Pitu wasn't exactly a hot spot, despite Beigur being full of shops and restaurants. The restaurant was old-fashioned and unpretentious, away from the streets most frequented by tourists, and its regulars were mainly locals who knew the food was quite excellent.

Rodri walked into the restaurant without making a reservation and asked to be seated at a table. A few minutes later, Barcelona's sporting director, Deco, also arrived at the restaurant.

Throughout the entire process, no one egged them on, and no one asked for a photo. If someone had managed to capture Rodri and Deco together in one frame, it would undoubtedly have been a major news story.

At that time, it was widely believed that Rodri would eventually join Real Madrid. Sources from the 15-time Champions League winners remained confident that a deal would be reached, even though Real Madrid had not yet made formal contact with Manchester City.

However, at Codina's wedding on July 25, another rumor began circulating among the guests: Rodri had changed his mind and preferred to join Barcelona. A few weeks later, a video from the event was posted on social media, showing Rodri singing and dancing to Barcelona songs at the wedding party, further fueling speculation.

On the Costa Brava, the possibility of Barcelona hijacking Rodri is growing, but there is still a lot of work to be done before the transfer is actually completed.

After Rodri returned to Madrid, the news from the Bernabéu remained very optimistic. Some even considered his transfer a done deal, although Real Madrid had not yet begun negotiations with Manchester City at the time.

Meanwhile, negotiations between Rodri's team and Barcelona are still ongoing in secret.

On August 5th, Deco traveled to Madrid again for a crucial meeting. The following day, The Athletic reported that Barcelona was exploring the possibility of signing Rodri, and that the player himself preferred to join Barcelona.

This news disrupted Real Madrid's rebuilding plans. On the same day, Real Madrid announced the signing of RB Leipzig striker Jan Diomande for up to €140 million. Subsequently, a large amount of criticism emerged on social media, with many arguing that the club had missed out on Rodri.

However, Barcelona remains very cautious.

Deco's transfer strategy has always emphasized secrecy. In most deals, only a very few people can learn about the specific progress from his office. Deco and the Barcelona management are being especially cautious with the Rodri deal, having learned their lesson from their pursuit of Bernardo Silva this summer.

Therefore, Barcelona hopes to confirm Rodri's 100% willingness to join the club before formal negotiations with Manchester City.

Sources close to the deal revealed that Rodri switched his first choice from Real Madrid to Barcelona primarily due to tactical and stylistic considerations. He believes Barcelona's style of football suits him better and is similar to the playing style he was accustomed to at Manchester City and with the Spanish national team.

Besides Deco's frequent efforts and that secret lunch, Barcelona coach Flick also communicated with Rodri on several occasions and actively promoted the transfer.