Rodri is enjoying life at Barcelona, although the former Ballon dOr winner admitted that things are very different from what he expected before arriving. The Spaniard believes there are major differences between Hansi Flick and Pep Guardiola as coaches.
Rodri surprised by Flick intensity after Barcelona move
Rodri has admitted that his first weeks at Barcelona were very different from what he had expected when he completed his summer move from Manchester City, with the former Ballon dOr winner particularly surprised by the physical intensity of Hansi Flick training sessions. The Spain international had spent years working under Pep Guardiola in Manchester and arrived at Barcelona assuming he would find a familiar environment built around possession, rondos and highly detailed work with the ball. Instead, one of his first experiences under Flick was a demanding physical programme that immediately showed him how different the German coach approach would be.
Speaking to Cadena COPE, Rodri explained that the contrast became obvious almost as soon as he began training with his new teammates. “I was surprised, I have to say. They really pushed us hard during the first few days,” he admitted. For a player who had become accustomed to Guardiola methods, the change was significant. City training had prepared him for a footballing environment in which positioning, possession structures and technical repetition were central elements, while Flick immediately placed much greater emphasis on physical intensity and maintaining a high tempo throughout the session.
“Flick is completely different from Guardiola. I thought I was coming to Barça for rondos and possession drills, but they worked me so hard physically that I thought: what have I got myself into?” Rodri said. The comment was made with humour, but it also revealed how strongly the training methods had impressed him. Barcelona remain a team built around technical quality and control of the ball, but Flick has added another layer to the identity of the side, demanding that players are capable of pressing aggressively, recovering quickly and maintaining a high level of intensity both with and without possession.
A very different Barcelona from the one Rodri expected
Rodri expected to find plenty of similarities between Barcelona and Manchester City because of the footballing links between the two clubs and Guardiola long association with Barça. In many respects, those similarities still exist. Barcelona want to dominate the ball, control space and create numerical advantages through intelligent positioning, all concepts Rodri knows extremely well. What surprised him was how much importance Flick placed on the physical side of the game from the beginning.
That difference does not necessarily mean one approach is more demanding than the other, but the nature of the demands is clearly different. Guardiola training has always been associated with tactical precision and repetition, while Flick teams are often characterised by aggressive pressing and an ability to play at a very high tempo for long periods. Rodri comments suggest that those principles are being reinforced every day at Barcelona rather than simply appearing during matches.
For a holding midfielder, the change is particularly important. Rodri position requires him to be constantly involved in both attacking construction and defensive transitions. Under Guardiola, he became one of the most influential midfielders in Europe because of his ability to control the rhythm of matches, receive under pressure and position himself perfectly when City lost possession. At Barcelona, many of those qualities remain essential, but Flick is also demanding an intense physical contribution when the team presses or needs to recover the ball quickly.
Rodri has therefore had to adapt without abandoning the qualities that made him so successful in England. His passing range, tactical awareness and ability to dictate tempo remain central to his game, but the physical rhythm of the sessions has given him a different challenge. The midfielder appears to be enjoying that process and his comments suggest there has been no difficulty embracing a new method after such a long period under Guardiola.
Lamine Yamal leaves another strong impression
The coaching methods are not the only thing to have impressed Rodri since arriving in Catalonia. The quality of the Barcelona squad has also stood out, with Lamine Yamal among the players who immediately attracted his attention. The young winger is once again part of the Ballon dOr conversation and Rodri believes both Lamine and Kylian Mbappe deserve to be considered among the best players in the world.
“I think it is fantastic that Lamine and Mbappe are considered among the best players in the world. In my view, they deserve it, but it is a very open year. Personally, I hope a Spaniard wins,” Rodri said. His comments reflected both admiration for the players involved and an awareness that the race for the individual award remains difficult to predict.
Having played alongside Lamine with Spain and now working with him every day at Barcelona, Rodri is in a particularly good position to judge how unusual the winger talent is. From the outside, Lamine is already known for his ability to beat defenders, create chances and decide matches, but training alongside him offers a different perspective on the consistency and technical level required to produce those moments repeatedly.
Rodri also knows what it takes to win the Ballon dOr himself, making his assessment of the candidates particularly interesting. Individual recognition at that level requires much more than a few spectacular performances. It normally reflects an entire season of influence, consistency and decisive moments, and Rodri clearly believes Lamine has reached a point where he belongs in that conversation alongside established global stars such as Mbappe.
Rodri questions Pedri and Raphinha omissions
While Rodri was positive about the players who made the Ballon dOr shortlist, he was far less satisfied with some of those who were left out. He expressed particular surprise that Pedri and Raphinha were not included, arguing that both had done enough to deserve recognition.
“Pedri and Raphinha should undoubtedly have been nominated for the Ballon dOr. Pedri is one of the best players in the world and Raphinha is the player who has surprised me the most,” he said. It was a strong assessment from a player who has spent his career alongside elite midfielders and attackers, and it highlighted how quickly Rodri has come to appreciate the level within the Barcelona squad.
Pedri inclusion in that praise is perhaps unsurprising. His technical profile makes him a natural partner for Rodri in midfield. Both players understand how to control space, dictate tempo and move the ball intelligently under pressure, although they do so in different ways. Pedri offers more creativity between the lines and more freedom in advanced areas, while Rodri provides structure and balance behind him. For Rodri to describe him as one of the best players in the world reflects the respect he has for the midfielder ability to influence matches without relying on physical dominance.
Raphinha, however, appears to have surprised him even more. The Brazilian has developed into one of Barcelona most decisive players, combining goals and assists with relentless work without the ball. Rodri specifically identified him as the teammate who had exceeded his expectations the most, suggesting that his overall contribution becomes even more obvious when observed from inside the team.
That comment fits with the way Flick uses Raphinha. The Brazilian is not simply expected to create or score. He presses aggressively, makes repeated runs in behind and helps Barcelona maintain the tempo the coach demands. For a player like Rodri, who is constantly reading the structure of the team behind the ball, that work is particularly noticeable because attacking players who press effectively make the job of the midfield much easier.
Barcelona adaptation going better than expected
Rodri comments paint a picture of a player who is still adapting but already feels comfortable in his new environment. The move from Manchester City represented a major change after years working in a system designed by Guardiola, but the midfielder has not arrived in Barcelona expecting everything to operate in exactly the same way. Instead, he seems to appreciate the differences and the new demands Flick has placed on him.
The contrast between the two coaches is central to that experience. Guardiola gave Rodri an environment built on control, detail and positional discipline. Flick has introduced him to a team where those principles are still important but are combined with a more visibly physical approach. For Rodri, the challenge is to combine what he learned in Manchester with the demands of his new coach rather than choose between the two philosophies.
That process could ultimately benefit Barcelona as well. Rodri brings years of experience from one of the most tactically sophisticated teams in Europe, while Flick offers him a different perspective on intensity and transitions. The midfielder has already shown throughout his career that he is capable of adapting his game without losing his identity, and his early comments suggest that he sees this new stage as another opportunity to develop.
At the same time, the level of his new teammates has clearly impressed him. Lamine Yamal is already among the leading Ballon dOr candidates, Pedri remains one of the players Rodri rates highest in world football and Raphinha has exceeded his expectations. That combination of individual talent and demanding training methods helps explain why the former Manchester City midfielder appears so enthusiastic about his new club despite the physical shock of his first sessions.
Rodri embraces a new challenge under Flick
The most revealing aspect of Rodri interview was perhaps how positively he spoke about the differences he has encountered. He did not criticise Flick for being unlike Guardiola, nor did he suggest that one coach has the superior method. Instead, he treated the contrast as something interesting and valuable. After spending such a long period in one highly specific footballing environment, Barcelona has given him something new to learn.
His first impression may have been surprise when the physical work replaced the rondos he expected, but that surprise has quickly turned into respect. Flick intensity has impressed him, the quality of the squad has impressed him and several teammates have already changed his perception of them. For Barcelona, that is an encouraging sign from a player whose experience and football intelligence should make him one of the most influential figures in the squad.
Rodri arrived in Catalonia expecting many similarities with Manchester City. Instead, he found a Barcelona side with its own rhythm and its own demands. Flick is different from Guardiola, the training is more physical than he anticipated and the squad contains players whose level has surprised even a former Ballon dOr winner. Judging by his first impressions, however, those differences are exactly what are making the new challenge so enjoyable.
