What did Rodri say at his Barcelona presentation? ...

Rodrigo Hernández is now officially a Barcelona player, joining the club that, as he revealed, was always his first choice once he decided to leave Manchester City.

“First of all, I want to say that I’m very happy to be here. It’s a very important day in my career. The decision to leave City was difficult because it’s the club that has given me everything, and I’m grateful that they understood it was the right time for me to leave. Barcelona has always been a benchmark for me in terms of its style of play and the values it represents. Barcelona was always my first choice. There were many reasons for choosing Barça when I received so many offers. I’ll keep some of those reasons to myself, but above all I considered the sporting challenge.”

Why did Rodri choose Barcelona?

Rodri suggested that one of those reasons was the presence of Hansi Flick as head coach.

“I’ve spoken to Flick and he conveyed his excitement to me, and I’m motivated by the prospect of working with a coach as brave as he is. I think that even at my age I still have room to improve and that he can help me do that. I’ve been in closer contact with Deco and Jan, but the coach strikes me as a very transparent person. I’ll try to share the experience I have with my teammates. I’m here to contribute.”

What does Rodri expect to win with Barcelona?

As for Barcelona’s ambitions, the new signing was highly optimistic.

“We’re aiming for everything. This team has already managed to win two consecutive LaLiga titles, which is far from easy, and in Europe it came within touching distance of the Champions League trophy everyone wants. Another reason for coming here was seeing the potential of this project.”

Rodri declined to say whether his arrival gives Barcelona the best midfield in the world.

“I’m not really into labels like that, but even before I arrived, this midfield was spectacular. For my part, I’ll try to bring that desire to keep improving. We have tremendous players in every position who are also very versatile. We’re a very complete team.”

When did Rodri decide to join Barcelona?

Rodri clarified that his agreement with Barcelona took shape after the World Cup and that his now-teammates had not spent the tournament trying to persuade him to join.

“We were focused on winning the World Cup. There were a few jokes, but everything happened afterward. They’ve given me a very warm welcome because I spent two months with most of them at the World Cup. They’re very young and very hungry, and I’m joining a close-knit locker room.”

Among those teammates is Lamine Yamal, whom Rodri previously tipped as a future Ballon d’Or winner after lifting the prestigious award himself two years ago.

“Lamine is a player who understands the game collectively. As players, we’re here to win team trophies, but his development has been spectacular. When I said he would win the Ballon d’Or, I didn’t know when it would happen, but he has everything required to reach the very top.”

Comparisons with Sergio Busquets were inevitable, and Rodri was full of praise for the former Barcelona midfielder.

“He has always been a huge reference point for me. The comparison is logical because of our position and style. I admired him and we played together for Spain, and now I’ve found out he’s around here, so we’ll see each other.

“As for Bernal, I’ll try to be a 30-year-old player who has more experience than he does and can help him. I’m very clear that I’m here to contribute however I can and help on a personal level as well. Marc has a great future and I can teach him whatever I can. He can develop alongside me, and it’s important for more experienced players to pass on what they’ve learned.”

Rodri’s opinion of Julián Álvarez

Rodri was also asked about Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez, but the new Barcelona player refused to be drawn on the possibility of him joining the club.

“I always try to be very cautious when talking about players at other clubs. He’s a tremendous player and any team would love to have him. Deco and the people running the club are always thinking about how to improve the team, but he’s an Atlético Madrid player.”

Is Rodri fully fit?

Finally, Rodri addressed his physical condition and made clear that he is ready to play.

“I’m ready now. The back procedure that was talked about so much was nothing serious. It was an outpatient procedure. I’ll train normally with the team tomorrow and I’m available whenever the coach thinks the time is right and believes I have the necessary match fitness.”