Rodri talks Real Madrid, Barcelona’s form, Jose Mourinho and more ahead of El Clasico

Rodri talks Real Madrid, Barcelona’s form, Jose Mourinho and more ahead of El Clasico Real Madrid are set for their most important game of the season so far as they take on Barcelona at Camp Nou this weekend. It promises to be a special match for Rodri, who will face Real Madrid for the first time after a failed move to Santiago Bernabeu in the summer. It will also be his first ever experience playing El Clasico . Speaking to DAZN ahead of this highly-anticipated matchup, Rodri spoke at length about Barcelona’s form, Real Madrid and coach Jose Mourinho, among other things. Rodri on Mourinho and a wounded Real Madrid Rodri was close to joining Real Madrid in the summer. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) First and foremost, Rodri spoke about the opposition, crediting Mourinho for the impact he has across his teams. “Mourinho is a coach with an extremely strong personality, and he has a significant impact on all the teams he coaches. He possesses a very clear philosophy, and he always succeeds in elevating the competitive level of his teams ,” he said. Rodri is also well aware that Real Madrid will arrive desperate to end their recent struggles in the fixture. “They told me that Real Madrid won, I believe, just one match out of the last six or seven Clasico showdowns. So they’ll have a huge desire to redeem themselves.” “It’s clear that Real Madrid plays in a style different from ours, but the competitive spirit is always present, especially in a match as big as El Clasico . So, we expect the Real Madrid match to bring everything they’ve got ,” he added. Barcelona’s form and first El Clasico Rodri went on to talk about Barcelona’s own form, especially after a midweek setback against PSG. “We will continue on our path. It’s true that we suffered a setback in the last match against Paris Saint-Germain. But we have a good mindset, and we have the desire to continue working and delivering things the right way,” he said. Rodri is geared up for his first El Clasico . (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) The former Manchester City midfielder offered his thoughts on playing El Clasico for the first time as well. “This will be my first Clasico , and therefore it will be a very special event, and I hope things go well,” he said. “Returning to La Liga and playing matches of this kind is extremely special, because it puts you under the eyes of the entire world, as if the world stops to watch it ,” he added. The Spaniard went on to explain why competing in La Liga, and the Clasico in particular, was such a draw for him. “One of the reasons I’m always delighted to return to Spanish football is, of course, experiencing the Clasico and what it represents on a global level ,” he said. Finally, Rodri explained why he is so delighted to have returned to Spain, even though his move to Real Madrid in the summer did not materialise. “I believe there are players who spent their entire careers in the English league and didn’t receive the same appreciation because they didn’t play much in Spain. I was fortunate to get the chance to return, and perhaps the players who move abroad don’t have the same impact that they could have achieved in the Spanish league ,” he concluded.