Rodri says Barcelona isn't the favorite to win the Champions League but can compete. The midfielder also praised PSG ahead of their Oct. 20 clash at the Parc des Princes.
Although there is still more than a month to go before Matchweek 3 of the UEFA Champions League league phase, when PSG will host Barcelona at the Parc des Princes, anticipation is already building for this highly anticipated match.
Recently signed by the Catalan club this summer, Spanish world champion Rodri gave an interview in which, among other topics, he spoke about PSG and, frankly, did so respectfully. The former Manchester City midfielder also discussed his departure from the Premier League and his arrival at a club of Barcelona’s caliber, despite links to other teams such as Real Madrid.
"For me, what was difficult was to accept that my adventure at Manchester was over," Rodri told La Vanguardia on Tuesday. "That, that was really complicated. On the other hand, the decision to join a club like Barcelona was never difficult, considering what it represented and the attraction it held for me on the footballing level. Saying 'no' to other big clubs like Real Madrid is not easy, but for me, the decision was clear."
In his interview with the Catalan media, Rodri also evoked the Champions League and the big ambition of Barcelona in this competition: "It is undeniable that the Champions League is the trophy that this club has aspired to for a long time. In recent years, the team has been close, and we know we are missing that little something to clinch it. We have the potential; I do not doubt it for a second. That said, I think we must show intelligence and recognize that we are not the favorites. The club has not won it for 11 years; we must approach the competition with the same state of mind as with the national team. We have not yet accomplished anything: we are going to build our path step by step and prove to the entire world that we are capable of it."
And when the Catalan media asked him if PSG was the reference in this competition, Rodri had a very respectful response: "The team that is capable of winning, and in a consecutive manner, is the one that, first, did things well. Then, it possesses the experience, which seems to me very important, of knowing how to go about it, and that makes it a dangerous adversary. PSG plays with a more mobile No. 9, as we did in the national team. Here, we have Raphinha and Gabriel Jesus. And even Dani Olmo."
PSG started the season sluggishly but has since secured two victories against Bratislava (6-1) and Brest (1-0). Barcelona has been flawless so far, with 6 victories in 6 matches (including 5 in La Liga), 26 goals scored, and 5 conceded. Rendezvous in a month at the Parc for the explanation with the two-time defending European champion.
