Rodri HernĂĄndez used an interview on Cadena COPE's El Partidazo to set the record straight on his summer transfer saga, insisting Real Madrid pursued him seriously before he chose Barcelona instead.
The reigning Ballon d'Or winner said: "From my position I have to say that Madrid showed interest from the very first moment, that they behaved impeccably, and that their proposals were about going all out for the player. I want to make that clear too."
Asked whether Madrid had given everything to sign him, he added: "I don't know what going 100% looks like, but it's clear they had the interest and went with pretty much everything they had, showing that interest, which I appreciate, because I spoke with people close to the club and that's that."
Rodri declined to say whether he had spoken directly with club president Florentino PĂ©rez, but confirmed contact with figures inside the club: "I spoke with people from there, who conveyed the enthusiasm, the desire they had for me to go there, and that also made my decision harder, that's clear."
He did confirm speaking with José Mourinho: "The dealings with Mourinho were very good. He conveyed his enthusiasm, his idea of football, what I could bring them, what he wanted from me, and it appealed to me a lot."
In the end, football rather than sentiment or money decided things, Rodri said: "My decision came down to a footballing question: where I could grow and contribute more, leading a team full of young players, and in the way I understand the game. There were no sentimental issues, and no money involved."
On last weekend's controversial Madrid derby, Rodri was critical of the reaction to the officiating rather than the decisions themselves, saying Atlético had deserved their win on the balance of play, and that Kang-in Lee's challenge, while accidental in his view, probably warranted a red card, unlike Cristian Romero's coming down on Jude Bellingham.
He warned against turning isolated errors into conspiracy theories: "Referees can make mistakes sometimes, but I don't think it goes further than that across a 38-game league season. It harms football. We should try to avoid that kind of talk. We're all human and we all make mistakes. It's fine to defend your club and your position, but only up to a point."
On the Ballon d'Or, Rodri stopped short of naming a favourite but was clear about his hope for a Spanish winner: "I'd love it if a Spaniard won it, any of the six. Barça think Lamine deserves it and it's fine that they campaign for him. My feeling is that plenty of players deserve it, Cubarsà and many others, but every club campaigns for what it wants."
He expressed surprise that two team-mates were missing from the shortlist entirely: "Pedri and Raphinha should be nominated for the Ballon d'Or without any doubt. Pedri is one of the best players in the world and Raphinha is the player who has surprised me most."
He was unequivocal on his pick for best coach, however: "If anyone deserves the coaches' Ballon d'Or, it's Luis de la Fuente."
Even so, he added the individual prize matters less to him than team success: "Winning a Ballon d'Or doesn't compare to winning a World Cup, a European Championship or a Champions League. You go down in history, but it's not something we chase, at least not me."
Rodri also reflected on the adjustment to life under Hansi Flick, contrasting it with his years at Manchester City: "Flick is nothing like Guardiola. I thought I was coming to a Barça of rondos and possession, and instead I got such brutal physical beatings that I thought: where have I ended up?"