Rodri has watched ‘life-changing’ Man City Champions League final winner 5,000 times

Rodri was the unlikely hero as Manchester City secured the Treble by beating Inter Milan in Istanbul and he admits he has not had time to stop and reflect on his achievement

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Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been binge-watching the goal that changed his life.

The Spanish international became an unlikely Champions League match-winner when he slipped his defensive shackles to produce the strike that downed Inter Milan to confirm Pep Guardiola’s side as European kings – and also clinched the Treble.

Rodri reckons he has replayed the moment that changed his life 5,000 times in every language possible. And still he keeps going back for more.

“I know I have to focus on the new season, but sometimes I start watching videos of what happened and can’t stop,” he said. “I just smile about what we achieved – and I feel more happy for the club, for my team-mates and the fans when I see everyone celebrating.

“It’s a very special moment for me. I’ve watched the goal about 5,000 times – in all the countries, in all the different languages. In my country, English, German, Italian.

“I think it’s special, it’s part of football to enjoy these kind of moment especially as a holding midfielder, you don’t feel like you are going to be decisive. It’s a great moment. I also saw a few videos of the fans, some in Manchester and the celebrations back there.

“When I went on holiday they sing my song. So life has changed for me in a sense. But I hope I can still have the calm that I’ve always been characterised with. I’m so very, very happy.”

Rodri, the 27-year-old signed from Atletico Madrid five years ago, was named man-of-the-match for scoring the winner in Istanbul. But in a TV interview after the final whistle, he was honest enough to admit that his overall performance had been “s***.”

Rodri was one of City’s most consistent players last season as they also clinched a third successive Premier League title and the FA Cup before going for Champions League glory. And then he was named player of the tournament as Spain lifted the Nations League in Holland.

Rodri finds the net against Inter Milan in Istanbul (

Image:

Getty Images)

Now he is preparing for a new season that will also give City a shot at the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup. Rodri said: “I’d love to stop a few months to analyse what happened, but everything goes very fast.

“After the Champions League final, I played in the final of the Nations League. We won our first trophy with Spain for lots of years – so there were lots of good feelings together.

“Victories in the finals, these situations, important goals, everything was perfect. To be honest, I didn’t have much time to celebrate, but what I can say is that I’m so proud. Maybe this year I will have more time.”

He added: “I know what I can bring to the team, what level I have, and I wasn’t happy with my performance. In a final the team needs the best of you, so I was selfpcritical, but the coach in that moment was also very direct and said ‘you have to make a step forward’.

“In these moments you have to be strong and accept the criticism when the team is suffering. We overcame the situation so well though.”

Rodri’s curling second-half strike was one of the few times that Guardiola’s men were able to pull Inter out of their ultra-defensive formation.

He said: “It was one of the tiny moments in the game where they were disorganised. Manu (Akanji) went with the ball and they made a mistake, the centre back jumped and it generated space for Bernardo Silva.

“He got to the byline, a deflection, and all the players went back to their goal instead of covering the area. At that moment I felt I had three seconds to decide what to do. Naturally I shoot strong but I thought this is the only chance I’ll have.

“I saw six or seven players defending the goal and maybe if I shoot strong it gets blocked. I tried to think of putting curve on the shot – and it was in. It was very special.”