"One of the hardest things in life": Rodri bids farewell to Manchester City with moving words
Barcelona confirmed the signing of Rodri from Manchester City on Tuesday, ending a golden era and a glittering seven-year spell at the Etihad Stadium.
The Spain international spent those years cementing his reputation as one of the finest holding midfielders on the planet, and he was central to the most successful period in the club's history. He made 298 appearances in a City shirt, scored 28 goals and helped the side lift 14 major trophies. Not bad for a player who arrived with plenty to prove at 30.
His haul with the Citizens reads like a roll of honour: four Premier League titles, four League Cups, two FA Cups and two Community Shields, plus the Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
Rodri delivered a touching farewell message to supporters, published on the club's official website: "Dear City fans, I have found that saying goodbye to you is one of the hardest things in life, but I will try to do it. It is difficult to find the words that express the scale of the gratitude, love, and support that I and my family have received throughout these years."
Recalling his early days, the Spaniard added: "I remember how I felt when I arrived to sign with the great Manchester City. It was a moment of pure excitement, and I was saying to myself: my God, I am going to play alongside Kevin, Aguero, Silva, Bernardo, John, and many others, and I could not stop my smile at that time. Then came Pep Guardiola, who was waiting for me to teach me everything from day one. And I say it to you now, Pep: I could not take in all those tactics in my mind at the beginning."
He turned to the achievements and the journey: "But a question occurred to me at that time: would we be able to deal with all these expectations in the coming years? And I believe time has answered that question. I knew I was joining a great team, but I never imagined that we would be able to create this legacy of titles, and bring in fans, love, and respect from all around the world. We set an example to inspire the coming generations, not only through success, but through the way we achieved that success, and the fans were with us every step of the way."
The midfielder singled out the moments that stay with him: "Many fantastic moments come to my mind. Winning my first title in my first match, and the decisive goals in the final minutes such as the Arsenal match away from our stadium, and my scoring in the Aston Villa match to seal the Premier League title when things were looking extremely difficult, and scoring the Champions League winning goal that we all wanted for so long. As well as the incredible reception I received after winning the Ballon d'Or. You cannot imagine how proud I am to be the first player to win this award in the sky blue shirt of Manchester City. We made history with the treble, and with four consecutive league titles, and we saw things the like of which will never be seen again."
Praising the fans who stood by him through the hard times, he continued: "And in the bad moments too, you never let me down. On the day of my first return to the pitch, I realised how much you love me and I understood how exceptional these fans are. City did not just make me grow as a player, but made me grow as a person. I witnessed my brother graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University, and I saw my girlfriend work in the National Health Service. Manchester the city shaped my entire life."
Rodri signed off: "I will never forget the moment of stepping onto the pitch and seeing a sea of blue singing the team's song, or riding my bike around the city to drink coffee, and walking in the parks while I listen to the music of the band Oasis, and my everlasting love for Manchester's famous rain. So, City fans, the time to say goodbye has come. Thank you to the club, to the fans, to the staff, and to my teammates. This journey would not have looked the way it did without you, and my heart will always remain blue."
