Manchester City midfielder Rodri insists that Pep Guardiola’s side are a “better team” than Real Madrid although he admits the Spanish champions are “capable of anything.”
City won the first leg of the Champions League encounter in the Spanish capital 2-1 back in February and will finally play the return leg, almost six months later, in the English side’s Etihad Stadium on Friday.
Rodri formerly played for Madrid’s city rivals Atletico and while he insists that the tie has not been won yet by Pep Guardiola’s side, they are confident they have a better team.
“They never relax, they give everything in every game,” Rodri explained in an interview with Marca.
“Their personality is tremendous. There is their journey, their history, what they have done in the last 20 or 30 years. They are capable of anything, because it goes with their way of being, of their ambition.
“They are more than a team. But I think we have a better team than them. If we are at the same level of intensity I think we can qualify.
“It is useless to say that we have a better team because we have to prove it on the pitch, which is what matters. They can be superior in experience and mentality; we have to match that.
“We have to show that we can beat anyone. That is what shows that you can win the Champions League. We must show that we are capable of repeating the Bernabéu victory.”
The English champions triggered the 23-year-old’s €70m release clause at Atletico Madrid in summer and despite picking up a hamstring injury, has quickly established himself as a key player at the Etihad.
The holding midfielder previously spent one season at Atletico after joining from Villarreal in the summer of 2018 for €25m.
Rodri has won 11 caps for the Spanish national team, with the first coming in March 2018 – and gained prominence under both Luis Enrique and Robert Moreno.
