Rodri has defended the club’s achievements and insisted nobody can take away what the players earned during his seven years at the Etihad.
The Barcelona midfielder was speaking on Spain duty ahead of tonight’s Nations League meeting with England at Wembley, hours after reports that Man City had been found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.
City has always denied wrongdoing and has responded that the process remains ongoing, with “significant elements” still to be completed. An appeal against the reported findings is expected.
Rodri: What we did cannot be taken away
Rodri joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and made 298 appearances before leaving for Barcelona this summer, winning 14 major trophies during his time in Manchester.
That haul included four Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League, when his goal against Inter Milan in Istanbul secured the trophy and completed City’s Treble. Asked whether the latest developments changed how he viewed those achievements, Rodri was adamant.
“What we did, they cannot take it out of us.”
The 30-year-old said City’s success couldn’t be bought with money, pointing instead to the effort and togetherness of the players, coaches and staff who worked at the club. He also maintained his belief in City’s innocence and referred to the club’s successful appeal against UEFA sanctions in 2020.
City were initially banned from European competition for two seasons before the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the suspension. Rodri acknowledged that the allegations were different but said the previous experience had given the players confidence in the club’s position.
“I believe in the justice system, and I believe in the innocence of the club.”
Rodri said City had consistently told the players they were confident they had done nothing wrong. He added that he had seen first-hand how the club worked and co-operated during his seven years in Manchester. The current Premier League process isn’t complete, with City expected to appeal the reported findings.
Rodri, though, was clear about how he views the trophies won during his time at the Etihad. For the players involved, he said, “everything was deserved”.
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