Rodri Warns Barcelona They Are Not Champions League Favourites
Rodri rejected the suggestion that Barcelona should be regarded as the leading contenders for European football’s biggest club prize.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Barcelona may be among the clubs expected to challenge for the UEFA Champions League this season, but Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernandez believes the Catalan giants still have important weaknesses to address before they can be considered favourites.
The Spain international, who won the Ballon d’Or after playing a central role in Manchester City’s Champions League triumph in 2023, offered a measured assessment of Barcelona’s prospects during an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe.
Rodri rejected the suggestion that Barcelona should be regarded as the leading contenders for European football’s biggest club prize.
“I don’t think we are favourites to win the Champions League. We have to understand where we come from and what it takes to become champions,” Rodri said.
His comments come as Barcelona continue to rebuild their reputation among Europe’s elite following a period in which they struggled to make a deep impact in the Champions League.
The midfielder also identified several areas he believes Barcelona must improve if they are to compete successfully against Europe’s strongest teams. Discipline and defensive consistency, he suggested, could prove decisive once the knockout stages begin.
“This team still has several things to correct to achieve that: red cards, penalties conceded, not conceding more than necessary. It’s better to be a little less good going forward but be more consistent and solid,” he said.
Rodri’s comments are particularly interesting because of his long-standing links with Barcelona. The Spanish midfielder has previously been mentioned as a potential target for the Catalan club, with his positional intelligence and control in midfield fitting the profile Barcelona have sought.
For Rodri, however, winning the Champions League requires more than technical quality and attacking football. He believes teams must learn how to deal with decisive moments, especially in matches where one mistake can end a European campaign.
“Players like me also come here for that: to grow and bring to the team that dimension which, in my opinion, is important to win titles as special as the Champions League,” Rodri said.
He added that the competition often rewards teams that handle pressure and crucial moments better rather than simply those that play the most attractive football.
“Because I think the Champions League is not necessarily a tournament that rewards the best team. It’s a competition of moments, where you have to know how to understand and manage those moments.”
Rodri also pointed to experience as an important factor in a club’s pursuit of European success. His own journey included disappointment before Manchester City finally lifted the trophy in Istanbul in 2023.
“But all of this is also linked to experience. I’ve always said it: before winning you have to lose and you have to learn. Those of us who have managed to win major titles know that,” he told L’Equipe.
Despite his warning, Rodri did not dismiss Barcelona’s chances. In fact, he made clear that the possibility of winning the Champions League remains one of the reasons behind his ambition.
“Now, if you ask me whether there is a chance of winning it: that’s exactly why I came here!”
Barcelona will therefore enter the Champions League campaign with considerable expectations, but Rodri’s assessment highlights the fine margins involved in European competition.
For the Catalan side, reducing defensive errors, avoiding unnecessary disciplinary problems and managing difficult moments could determine whether they merely compete among Europe’s leading clubs or finally return to the Champions League final.
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