The Spain international is preparing for his first Clásico in a Barcelona shirt after returning to Spanish football following his spell in the Premier League, and he believes the occasion will bring an extra level of intensity from both teams.
Speaking to DAZN ahead of Sunday’s meeting at Camp Nou, Rodri described the fixture as an opportunity to perform on one of football’s biggest stages.
“Returning to Spanish football and experiencing a Clásico is a great joy, given what it means worldwide,” he said.
“One of the disadvantages for players who have been in the Premier League, for example, is that they have not been valued as highly or received the same attention they can get in LaLiga. I have been lucky to return and play matches like this, which put you in the global spotlight. The world stops to watch the Clásico, and hopefully it goes well.”
Barcelona head into the match after a Champions League setback against Paris Saint-Germain, but Rodri insisted that result had not affected the squad’s confidence.
“We are coming off a setback in Paris, that is true, but with our mentality intact and the desire to keep doing things well,” he said.
The midfielder expects a strong response from Real Madrid, who will arrive under Mourinho with a different tactical approach from Barcelona’s. Rodri believes the visitors’ competitive mentality will be particularly evident in a fixture of this magnitude.
“The team has a different style of play from ours, but the competitive spirit is always there, especially in matches of this kind, so we expect a Real Madrid side that will go all out,” he said.
Rodri also pointed to the recent head-to-head record as a reason for the Madrid side to be motivated. In his assessment, Real Madrid have won only one of the last six or seven Clásicos and will be keen to change that sequence.
“They will want revenge,” he said.
The Barcelona midfielder also praised Mourinho, who is preparing to lead Real Madrid into the fixture. Rodri described the Portuguese as a coach whose personality and clear philosophy can raise standards within a team.
“He is a coach with a lot of personality. He has a decisive influence on the teams he joins and a very defined philosophy. He always raises the competitive level of his team,” Rodri said.
His comments underline Barcelona’s expectation that Sunday’s match will be a demanding test, regardless of the recent results between the rivals. The hosts will be looking to turn their home advantage into a positive result, while Rodri expects Mourinho’s team to approach the game with the intensity required to challenge them.
For Rodri, the occasion is also personally significant. After returning to Spain, he now has the chance to experience one of the country’s defining football fixtures from the Barcelona side of the rivalry.