Rodri heads to Barcelona – Real Madrid’s reaction is surprising

7 Aug 2026 09:14 BST | 3 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

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Real Madrid have accepted defeat to Barcelona in the Rodri transfer saga, with the Catalan side standing on the verge of completing a remarkable hijack on Jose Mourinho’s side for the Manchester City midfielder.

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Rodri has agreed to join Barcelona having looked likely to move to Real Madrid for much of the summer.

A transfer fee has yet to be agreed between the Blaugrana and Man City, but with Barca prepared to bid €60 million - €45m upfront and €15m in potential bonuses – Jose Mourinho’s side have resigned themselves to a surprise defeat in this saga.

Real Madrid miss out on the player they most needed

Rodri had looked a smart fit for Los Blancos given their clear need for a central midfielder capable of dominating a match. In this regard, there are no better than the 30-year-old, who won the Golden Ball at the World Cup.

Internally, Real Madrid seem to have taken the news well, though this is not reflected among fans for the club, for many of whom the signing of Vinicius Junior’s new contract and imminent arrival of Yan Diomande has been overshadowed by this saga.

Marca reports: “This situation has sparked outrage among Real Madrid supporters, despite the arrival of Diomande. Los Blancos have seen a star signing leave for their arch-rivals. Furthermore, a large portion of the fans believe that the midfield is the area most in need of strengthening, and that Rodri was the ideal candidate, both in terms of price and quality. The club's social media accounts are flooded with photos of Rodri, with fans urging that he is signed.”

On Cadena SER, Marcos Lopez explained: “Real Madrid is a team of attacking monsters with Vinicius, Diomande and Mbappe. Real Madrid will be like France, and Spain has already humiliated France in the World Cup semi-final.

“Real Madrid needs this type of midfielder, someone capable of uniting the team and giving meaning to its play.”

Real Madrid accept Rodri’s decision

If the supporters are angry, the club is surprisingly laid back about the situation.

Mundo Deportivo reports: “In Madrid, they seem to have accepted the player's wishes without hesitation, convinced that it was the player’s own desire, and nothing else, that prevailed in this case. 'We have to accept it,' they say at Valdebebas.

“At the Bernabeu, they believe that they made him a 'very good' offer because there was real interest, they say, in signing him, but it wasn't possible.”

This is echoed by AS, which states: “It's clear that for a player to sign for Real Madrid, he must be completely sure of what he's doing, and Rodri never conveyed that sense of security. Real Madrid understand and respect the player's decision… They didn't make a big deal out of what happened.”

What comes next?

While there is universal agreement on Real Madrid’s comparatively relaxed stance on missing out on Rodri, there is also consensus on the club’s transfer plan now. And this is likely to enflame the supporter even further.

Mundo Deportivo says: “Madrid will not try to sign another midfielder because Mourinho, he says, is satisfied with what he has.”

But while such a defeatist line might be expected from the Catalan media, this is echoed in the capital press, too.

“Mourinho was always aware of the situation and believes there are solutions within the squad for that position,” AS states.

Losing Rodri is one thing, but not having a Plan B in place is another.

Barcelona have not only signed a top player, they have also deprived Real Madrid of the signing they really needed.