RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Real Madrid fans have taken to social media to express their displeasure with reports that Manchester City midfielder Rodri has decided not to join their club, and instead try to join their worst enemy, Barcelona.
Nothing is definitive, but the anger is real. It comes at a time when Madrid announced the signing of Yan Diomandé from RB Lepizig. Posts announcing the transfer, usually reserved for hype for the incoming player, were instead filled with replies that expressed frustration and sometimes anger towards the club’s top brass over the Rodri transfer saga.
There were rumors that Florentino Pérez wasn’t too keen on the idea of signing Rodri because doing so was a campaign promise of one of his rivals for the club presidency.
But after Rodri’s stellar World Cup, it just made too much sense: he would address an area of need on the pitch, and would shore up Madrid’s lack of representation in the Spain team that became world champions.
Madrid media has been signaling confidence for a while, and even said the player would reject Barcelona. But the latest reports paint a different picture: They say Barcelona manager Hansi Flick convinced Rodri to join his system and become a key cog.
It’s again worth mentioning that this is all happening in transfer pages and rumors, and even if you believe those, this is not set in stone. Still, the dissatisfaction is palpable in replies to recent social media posts from Madrid.
Losing out on Rodri wouldn’t just mean losing out on a brilliant player. It would mean losing out on Spain’s emblematic figure from their World Cup triumph at a time when Real aren’t closely identified with the national team — not by a long shot.
And to lose out an emblem of Spain, born in Madrid, to Barcelona? That may prove too much for some.
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