“That was another important piece” - Manchester City star Rodri reflects on Diego Simeone’s impact on his career and what the Atletico boss taught him

Manchester City star Rodri has revealed a key lesson he learned under Diego Simeone, which has been vital to his career. The two worked together at Atletico Madrid for one season before Rodri moved to Manchester City to play under Pep Guardiola.

Rodri, who had a brief spell at Atletico Madrid’s academy, began his senior career at Villarreal before returning to his hometown club in 2018 reportedly for an initial fee of €20 million. Simeone placed great trust in the Spaniard at the heart of the midfield, with Rodri making 47 appearances in his only season at the club.

Rodri has since developed into one of the best players in the world, but he credits much of his defensive improvement to Simeone.

Rodri, 28, shared that the Atletico Madrid coach instilled in him toughness and a competitive edge, which he believes were crucial to his growth as a player.

"When I moved back home to Atlético for one season, I learned what competitiveness really means. When I was at Villarreal, I was very good with the ball at my feet, but I was still a bit soft. Under Diego Simeone, I learned what it means to be the bad guy. To be a bit of a b****** on the pitch. To really tackle. To make the other team miserable for 90 minutes. That was another important piece," Rodri said to Players Tribune (via Daily Mail)

After his move to Manchester City, Rodri initially struggled to adapt to the Premier League but has improved significantly over the past few years. In his five seasons at the club, he has made a total of 257 appearances, winning the Premier League four times, as well as the Champions League and FA Cup once.

Rodri has also been a key figure in Spain’s recent success. He was part of the squad that won Euro 2024, while being named the Player of the Tournament.

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Rodri explains why Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City won four consecutive league titles

Since joining Manchester City, Rodri has been a cornerstone of the team’s success. Most notably, he scored the winning goal in the Champions League final against Inter Milan, not only clinching Manchester City’s first-ever Champions League title but also completing a historic treble.

Rodri has also credited working with Pep Guardiola for making him a better player. He believes that the former Barcelona coach is always one step ahead and constantly evolving, which he attributes as the key to City’s sustained success.

To me, the unique thing about Pep is that he is always one step ahead. He is always evolving before the game around him can evolve. He is never satisfied with keeping things exactly as we played last season, because your competition is always going to be analyzing last season. You don’t win four Premier League titles in a row by standing still. You either reinvent yourself or you die," he said (via Players Tribune)

Rodri sustained an injury during the Euro final, which sidelined him at the start of the season. However, he has since returned to training and could be available for Spain after serving his one-match ban against Serbia.