Spanish midfielder Rodri has revealed what Manchester City fans have been doing to him this summer.
The holding midfielder is arguably the most important player in Pep Guardiola’s side, but it wasn’t always like that.
Rodri struggled to adapt to his new surroundings in the months that followed his £62.5m move from Atletico Madrid in 2019, although in fairness the same can be said of many City signings.
The 27-year-old went from zero to hero though, establishing himself as a key cog in Guardiola’s winning machine.
Not content with playing the typically understated role of the holding midfielder à la Sergio Busquets, over the last two seasons Rodri has found himself in the middle of pivotal moments.
His last-gasp winner at Arsenal on New Year’s Day 2022 – followed by a controversial celebration – and the rocket he scored against Bayern Munich this season come to mind.
Yet both were trumped by his winning strike in the Champions League final, a moment that Rodri admits has changed his life.
Rodri getting more attention
The midfielder swept home Bernardo Silva’s cut-back from the edge of the box to give City a second-half lead against Inter Milan in Istanbul.
Rodri was already a popular figure among City fans, but he’s noticed a change since June 10.
“I’ve watched that [Champions League final-winning] goal 5,000 times, in all the different languages: Spanish, English, German, Italian,” he said.
“I think it’s special, part of football is to enjoy these kind of moments – especially as a holding midfielder, you don’t feel you’re going to be decisive. Now when I go on holiday City fans sing my song. So life has changed for me in a sense.”
Rodri made 36 Premier League appearances last season as Guardiola’s side won a third consecutive league crown, more than any other City player.
