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Barcelona's capture of Rodri from Manchester City is being hailed by many as the transfer of the summer, yet Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois believes the Spaniard's choice to join the Catalan club over Los Blancos is "a pity for him."
Throughout much of the spring and early summer, Real Madrid appeared to be the frontrunners to bring the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner back to La Liga from the Premier League. In a sudden turn of events, however, Barcelona entered the picture and swiftly agreed personal terms with the midfielder, effectively removing Los Blancos from contention. The Catalans ultimately finalized an official agreement with Man City to secure Rodri as a Blaugrana player.
Real Madrid kicked off their season with a nervy 2–1 victory over Espanyol on Saturday evening. After the game, Courtois was questioned about Rodri's decision to turn down Los Blancos, particularly since the Spaniard had been staying at the same hotel as Jose Mourinho's squad on the night of their La Liga season opener.
"Every player decides where they want to go," Courtois said. "If he didn't want to be here with us, then it's a pity for him. At the end of the day, he's a top player, but he made his choice and that's that.
"And the fact that he was staying at our hotel — well, it's a big place, lots of people around."
Real Madrid's Season Debut Highlights Why They Wanted Rodri
Rodri was seen as the ideal answer to Real Madrid's most pressing concern over the past two campaigns. Beyond the ongoing debate about the on-field chemistry — or absence of it — between Vinícius Junior and Kylian Mbappé, an unstable and unbalanced midfield has been Madrid's greatest weakness since the departures of club icons Toni Kroos and, to a lesser degree, Luka Modrić.
Los Blancos invested over $200 million in the summer transfer window ahead of the second chapter of the Mourinho era at the Bernabéu, reinforcing their defensive line and splashing out on exciting young talent Yan Diomande. Nevertheless, one area where Los Blancos notably failed to strengthen was midfield, with Bernardo Silva being the only notable addition — and he is not a traditional No. 6.
After missing out on Rodri, Madrid chose not to pursue an alternative, and in their 2025–26 La Liga curtain-raiser, Silva lined up alongside Federico Valverde in midfield within Mourinho's 4-2-3-1 formation. Summer recruit Carlos Espí salvaged all three points deep into stoppage time for Los Blancos, but neither Valverde nor Silva offered much reassurance, leaving serious questions hanging over the state of Madrid's engine room.
It is far too soon to draw firm conclusions, but it is evident that Real Madrid's problems in central midfield remain a significant concern. How Mourinho addresses the absence of a true Kroos replacement will likely prove decisive in determining the success of his return to the Bernabéu dugout.
Barcelona's Midfield Room Is Overcrowded
While Real Madrid lack depth and variety in midfield, Barcelona find themselves with an abundance of options at the position — arguably too many.
With Rodri now on board, Barcelona boast five natural central midfielders on their roster, and that figure excludes Frenkie de Jong, who faces an extended spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury. Additionally, Eric García and Andreas Christensen have both been deployed in the No. 6 role at various points since the beginning of the Hansi Flick era, as did La Masia fullback Xavi Espart during preseason.
The Catalans now find themselves with a lopsided squad — overloaded with midfield options yet lacking a natural center forward beyond 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim, who is expected to make his official senior Barça debut in the club's season opener.
Marc Casadó has been the subject of departure speculation throughout the summer, yet no deal has come to fruition, with the transfer window deadline rapidly closing in.
For the time being, Rodri is working toward full fitness following a minor back procedure after the World Cup, and he will not be available for Barcelona's season debut against Elche on Sunday night. Once he returns, however, it will be fascinating to observe how Flick manages the congested midfield options currently at his disposal.