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Rodri was one of the key figures behind Spain’s second World Cup triumph and has now been rewarded with the Golden Ball for his outstanding performances in midfield.
However, Spanish media reports that Real Madrid are deeply disappointed after failing to sign the Manchester City star, while coach Jose Mourinho and club president Florentino Perez are reportedly furious over his decision.
Real Madrid had been pursuing Rodri from the outset, but it became clear last week that the Golden Ball-winning midfielder would not be moving to the Spanish giants.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Perez and Mourinho had expected two trusted club officials, Jose Angel Sanchez and Juni Calafat, to complete the deal for Rodri. Their plans reportedly collapsed after the midfielder opted to move towards Barcelona at the final stage of negotiations.
Only one person within the club had opposed the transfer from the beginning. Anas Laghrari, a Moroccan banker and close financial adviser to Perez, reportedly warned against signing Rodri because of his age and history of serious knee injuries.
Despite those concerns, Perez decided to push ahead with the deal. Rodri’s late change of direction towards Barcelona then reportedly angered the club hierarchy.
Sport claims Mourinho was even more upset than Perez. The coach initially found it difficult to believe reports that Rodri had rejected Real Madrid’s offer in favour of Barcelona and later expressed his frustration during several discussions with club officials.
It remains unclear whether Rodri will eventually join Barcelona or stay at Manchester City, with a decision expected in the coming days.
