De la Fuente: I was surprised by Rodri's move to Barcelona
Luis de la Fuente, head coach of the world champion Spanish national football team, admitted that he had expected Rodri to join Real Madrid before the midfielder ultimately finalized his move to traditional rivals Barcelona, the La Liga champions in the last two seasons.
De la Fuente offered an intriguing perspective on the saga surrounding Rodri’s transfer, revealing that even members of the Spanish national team’s technical staff were surprised by the midfielder’s final destination. For months, the former Manchester City star had been strongly linked with a return to the Spanish capital to join the Portuguese manager José Mourinho’s team. However, the move to Barcelona came as a shock to many, including the coach who oversees the player at the international level. De la Fuente acknowledged that he had been closely following the situation given his personal relationship with the player, but he remained convinced that wearing Real Madrid’s white shirt was what awaited the player in the future.
When asked whether Rodri’s eventual move to Camp Nou had taken him by surprise, the Spanish coach spoke candidly about his expectations. In an interview with the radio program “El Larguero” on Cadena SER, he said: “It is true that I was initially surprised, but it is also true that I have a very good relationship with him and his entourage, and they kept me updated on developments at certain times.”
This comes after De la Fuente expressed his surprise at the large number of players from this exceptional generation who were playing abroad; therefore, he views their return to the Spanish league as highly positive for domestic football.
For De la Fuente, the specific club a player chooses is far less important than the general benefit of seeing elite Spanish talents showcase their skills in the local league once again. The Spanish national team coach stated: “The most important thing is seeing these great players playing in Spain. What amazes me is seeing so many players from this wonderful generation playing outside Spain. For this reason, I am very happy with their return and their contribution to raising the level of Spanish football and the league.”
Rodri’s arrival at Barcelona has sparked a broader tactical debate regarding how he will mesh and integrate with his creative midfield partner, Pedri. Although some critics see a potential overlap in their playing styles, De la Fuente is fully confident in their ability to form a great duo, provided each adapts to the other’s strengths.
The coach noted that Pedri has already shown a willingness to develop his playing style to suit the players around him. He also pointed out that the presence of a dominant and influential player like Rodri naturally changes the requirements for those playing alongside him, a challenge he believes the players are fully capable of handling.
Discussing the details of their potential synergy, De la Fuente highlighted the unique characteristics of the players available to him in midfield, saying: “Yes, of course they can do it, but we must realize that Pedri’s playing style has changed slightly.” He added: “I said that during the World Cup. I prefer the version of Pedri we see with the Spanish national team, because playing alongside one set of teammates is different from playing alongside another.”
Concluding his remarks, De la Fuente clarified: “Having Rodri forces you to play differently; Pedri has to take on other roles, which he is already doing given his great excellence. Having Rodri on the team is always good news; he is the best in the world at his position. And we are lucky to have this special relationship between us.”
