Rodri Says Real Madrid Cannot Fool Him Before His First Clásico

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Barcelona midfielder Rodri says Real Madrid have a habit of making opponents think they are not that good, and that the trick does not work on him.
Madrid have lost twice in LaLiga this season while Barcelona have won every league game, and the sides meet on Sunday.
Rodri, 30, could have joined Madrid this summer before returning to LaLiga from Manchester City, and calls his first Clásico a match he watched as a child.

A Midfielder Who Grew Up Following Both Sides

Rodri has played Real Madrid in plenty of knockout ties, and he has worked out their best trick. Madrid, he says, have a great strength in “making their opponents think they aren’t that good”. With his first Clásico due on Sunday, the Barcelona midfielder says the act will not work on him. “They don’t fool us”, he told ESPN.

The timing gives the line extra bite. Madrid have already lost twice in LaLiga this season, while Barcelona have not dropped a league game. Rodri says the standings are no guide. “Real Madrid are always a formidable opponent, whatever form they’re in,” he said.

Madrid Have Lost Twice, and Rodri Is Not Buying It

Rodri, 30, came back to Spain this summer after seven years at Manchester City. “I’ve known them [Madrid players] all for many, many years,” he said. He has also met them in plenty of knockout ties.

That history is the basis of his warning to teammates. Rodri said the message he is trying to get across to the squad is simple: “we’ll need to be at our very best if we’re to beat them”.

A Match He Nearly Played on the Other Side

The Clásico carries extra meaning for Rodri: he could have joined Madrid in the summer. He signed for Barcelona instead. He also captained Spain to World Cup glory this summer.

He did not hide his excitement. “I’m really excited and can’t wait to experience it for the first time,” he said. He added: “I’ve watched it loads of times on the telly, as a fan when I was little, and as I’ve grown up, I’ve followed both teams.”

His plan for the 90 minutes is calm. “These are different matches,” Rodri said. He wants Barcelona to put emotion to one side and stay “100% focused”, and he said the outcome in games like this is decided by the smallest of details.

Experience Is What He Says He Brings

Rodri has been praised for his performances for Barcelona, and he described his own role in plain terms. The main thing he brings is “my experience, that leadership role”, along with organising teammates and giving them a positive mindset. On footballing ability, he said the standard in the squad is very high.

Barcelona do have a wobble to repair. They lost 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in midweek, their first defeat of the season, which ended an 11-game winning run. Rodri would not talk up the title race. “I don’t think it’s wise to set specific targets for results”, he said, and added that the club should be seen as better than it was last year. A win on Sunday would put Barcelona on course for a third straight LaLiga title.

Teammates Play Down the Gap

Defender Pau Cubarsí, speaking to ESPN, accepted that “It is a very big gap, but LaLiga is a long season”. Midfielder Gavi agreed. “That’s quite a few points,” he said, but the season is “very long” and Madrid could catch up in two or three matches.

Forward Anthony Gordon went further and rejected the idea that Barcelona are favourites. “I think favourites go out the window in these kind of games,” he said, and he called the contest “very equal”.

Barcelona carry the better league record into Sunday. Rodri, who has known the Madrid players for years, says the table will not change how he sees them.

WRITTEN BY

Jarrod

Jarrod Partridge is the Founder of Futbol Chronicle and an accredited journalist with over 30 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, Jarrod has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing first-hand insight to every match report, player profile, and tactical analysis he writes.