Rodri sets the bar: less flair, more solidity for the UCL

Rodri has already settled into his Barcelona role after arriving this summer from Manchester City for €60 million. In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner and 2026 world champion sets a clear ambition for the season ahead, but he refuses to label Barça as automatic favourites.

Decisive moments decide

For Rodri, the Champions League is not necessarily won by the “best team on paper”. He believes progress for Barça will come from handling the key stretches of games—especially in knockout stages—where details and timing can flip a tie. “La Ligue des champions ne récompense pas forcément la meilleure équipe sur le papier… c’est peut-être là la marge de progression qu’il reste à cette équipe”, he says.

Barça’s lesson from last season

Rodri points to last campaign as a warning sign. Barcelona’s attack was strong—32 goals in 12 Champions League matches—but the team were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Atlético de Madrid. The bigger concern for him is what happened in defence: Barça conceded 20 goals in the competition, which he links directly to the fragility he wants to see fixed.

Sharper, steadier, tougher

His solution sounds simple: “Il vaut peut-être mieux être moins flamboyant offensivement mais faire preuve de plus de régularité et de solidité.” Rodri also speaks from experience—he played the UCL many times with City before lifting the trophy in 2024 as captain. “Avant de gagner, il faut perdre et apprendre”, he adds, arguing that growth comes through setbacks.

He doesn’t guarantee success and even tempers expectations around the Barça squad. Still, his final message is unmistakable: if the team can hit its stride in the moments that matter most, that’s exactly why he came. “Maintenant… si vous me demandez si nous avons nos chances… c’est précisément pour cela que je suis venu ici,” Rodri concludes.