Romzero reviewed Rodri's decision to refuse to join Real Madrid and stated that Real Madrid remains the most successful club in football.
Like thousands of Real Madrid fans, I was incredibly excited about Rodri's potential arrival. He was one of the heroes of our two-star era, a World Cup MVP, and was supposed to be the final piece of Mourinho's dream team. But after the initial disappointment, I began to reanalyze everything that had happened, which helped me calm down.
Although Real Madrid did contact Rodri before he made those remarks on Tuesday to appease the "Barcelona fan base," and the two sides had reached an agreement on financial terms: a four-year contract with a net annual salary of €15 million. This was a lucrative contract commensurate with his outstanding abilities. However, he later spoke with Guardiola and also had discussions with Laporta, Flick, Deco, and others. Guardiola had a significant influence on him, given his close relationship with him during his time at Manchester City. Ultimately, Rodri chose to forgo the "paradise" of football. Note that this isn't my opinion, but rather his own statement to Manu Carreño in *El Larguero*: "The whole world knows that Real Madrid is the best club in history, and the club with the most honors." Therefore, Rodri's refusal to join a team he himself acknowledges as "the best" doesn't upset me too much.
He preferred Barcelona, a club with less pressure, and had grown accustomed to constant setbacks in the Champions League—11 years without the trophy. Real Madrid, on the other hand, even a single draw in the league could trigger a deep crisis. It's this almost fanatical pursuit that has led Real Madrid to 15 Champions League titles, making them the most beloved and envied club. I know some of Rodri's friends from his Atletico Madrid days—who are also my friends—have tried to provoke him with comments like "The Rossoneri shouldn't support the Vikings." Let's respect Rodri's decision to play at a lower level. By the time he's still playing in Montjuïc, his "exile," in the 2027-28 season, the Bernabéu will have been transformed into an architectural landmark, attracting tourists from all over the world. Rodri will always be our "Number 16 Golden Player," a Spanish hero in our souls, and we will always love him.
I even bought his two-star jersey this summer, and I'll wear it when we win the next European Championship together. But from a club perspective, he chose the easier path. Barcelona fans will applaud his rejection of Real Madrid, which happens to be the closest rival Barcelona least wants to face. But he might as well ask Ferran Torres why he went to Paris—because he was tired of not being valued at Camp Nou, especially since he wasn't a La Masia product.
Rodri was an extraordinary player, but he missed the most important opportunity of his life. Every top player should play for Real Madrid at least once in their lifetime. Now it's too late; the train of the Whites will never pass through his expensive gates again. But we will always love him. He is our Rodri, a hero of Spain, and a hero of the two-star era. Barcelona fans will certainly love him proudly too, for he won honors for the Spanish national team.
