“Busquets has been the best pivot in our history”

At 26 years old, Rodri Hernandez (Madrid, June 22, 1996) is already captain of a club of the power of City of Manchester and it became the national team because of the generational change that drives Louis of Origin. This is accompanied by a retouching style of Spain that midfielder sums up in one word: verticality. “Long possession is ineffective” in today’s football.

Rodri He was always a different football player, a ‘rare bird’ in the locker room without social networks at a time when every footballer is building a brand image. Separated from criticism and at the same time from praise. With a natural ability to command the pitch and a leadership that gave him the role of midfielder. It reflects the evolution that the times demand. Adding more travel and physical deployment.

At 26 years old Rodri He became one of the captains of the Spanish team. There are times of change in La Roja and then alvaro morata It has the most internationality. Proud, he is ready to exercise leadership. The one who learned from Bruno Soriano and Sergio Ramoswhich he marked as references in an interview EFE. The time has come for the heir of a legendary media like Sergio Busquets and wants to make his own way.

Revolution with the arrival of Luis de la Fuente and captaincy. How do you receive the bracelet?

It was a huge pride, something that someone of my age never expected but it came. We are in a generational change, a very young generation is coming to the national team and although I consider myself young, I have been there for a long time. More than the bracelet I have to be an example on and off the pitch. Give advice to new people and give some experience from my years here, the demands and how hard it is to come. It should be planted in this new batch with a coach we know from the lower categories. I will try to lead by example and take the role of leadership.

What is it for Rodri in leadership that at 26 years old he is training at Manchester City with Pep Guardiola and is now in the dressing room of the national team?

It’s something you learn over time, it has to come from you, it’s true that because of my position I always have in mind being a leader in the field because it’s the only position where you can see all the parts . and you have to know how to put people. From there, as the years go by, you gain respect from your peers, a status, which should also be something that comes from you. Not everyone can be a leader and you have to know how to bring it. Not all are the same. You have to treat some one way and some another to get the best performance out of all your teammates because ultimately the team wins. This is what I have cultivated all these years knowing that the captain of the national team or my club can come to me, which I am too. I have learned in the past and now I reflect it to the youth who can learn.

Who marked you?

I have had many very good captains, I remember Bruno Soriano at Villarreal and Sergio Ramos was a good captain for the national team. They both marked me, Ramos was longer. At my club Fernandinho has left. I tried to absorb a little of each one, despite the fact that they have different personalities, some more intense and others more restrained, but absorb from experience and role in the field because there moments of trouble, of having a bad time, of weakness and then This is when these types of players come out.

He inherited the bracelet of Busquets but also the position of a footballer who marked the history of the national team. How do you suppose, you can be up to the most successful midfielder in the history of the national team?

I try to walk my path and aspire to be the best I can be. It is clear that if they compare you to this kind of extraordinary player, because he has been the best midfielder in our history, a player that I would emphasize has been in high demand for many years. This is what I seek but without putting brakes or obstacles, if I want to look like myself, leading my way that gives the best of me and now there is a situation where it will not come. A new phase is opening for me that I want to take advantage of giving maximum performance.

While waiting to see the system that Luis de la Fuente focuses on, do you prefer a double pivot or a single pivot?

I think he is a coach who is very clear about what he plays, we have known him for a long time, the idea is there and sometimes he reverses the triangle, especially to have a player who supports you more defensively. phase and then invest it again in the attack. There are many options that we do. The idea is not to be alone in defense, to be a little more protected, and on the ball with people in front of you as the only pivot, trying to be more upright, sharp and trying to hurt your opponent with less touches , being relatively upright.

In his presentation as a coach, he talked about retouching the style, after seeing him in the central position in the World Cup, what needs to change to fight for titles again?

Nothing in particular, to adapt to what modern football demands today. It is true that those long properties, with so many handles, are ineffective today. It doesn’t mean we’re losing the essence because we have very specific players, but places are more important now. Be more efficient and deadly both defensively and offensively. We do that, by being more vertical. Matches will provide this and above all, as the coach said, create a team.

Who will be the new leader? Luis Enrique says he played that role…

Leadership is quite interpersonal and very personal. Obviously there are players who have it naturally and bring it out on the field. The person we follow is the coach but on the field there are several players who will step forward. In good times it’s easy, but in bad times to encourage and get people to follow you, some of us have to take a step forward.

Are you relieved to learn of Haaland’s absence from Malaga?

No (laughs), in the end one never wants to, apart from being a partner. I talked to him the other day and I don’t think he has much to do. It is clear that for Norway this is a very important factor, a striker who now has 42 goals. I know him completely. It is a significant handicap but we have faced them, they are a competitive team and they have a good name apart from Erling.

In the step where Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were forced to fall due to age, there is already a player like Haaland with Mbappé.

There are players that when you see a natural ability and he has it for the goal, it’s inevitable. I honestly believe that he still has a lot to improve, he can contribute more to us despite the fact that he has only been with us for one year and he has already scored all those goals. The coach demands a lot from him, we also in that position because we have a certain way of playing. He wants to grow and develop. He has a rhythm that if he maintains it, he will be there in numbers at the level of Messi and Cristiano, that being said.

What room do you see for improvement, in your participation in the game?

His area of ​​improvement is getting more involved in the game. There’s a lot of stats that he’s handled eight or nine balls and scored three goals, obviously that’s a positive thing because of the efficiency he has but maybe not so much because of the involvement. The more he participates, the more goals he scores, the more he can help us in the elaboration and that is what we do, finding the facet that is not the place so that it is also important for the team.

What challenges does Rodri face entering the main stage of the season?

We are open to everyone, who have been working for a whole year, now the moment of truth has come. I explained it to the team, to the new people who came. Only a few make it this far but those who make the difference are those who are capable of giving their best version from now on. We are all tired, it is a World Cup year but it is time to take a step forward when the titles are decided. We are looking for the dream treble which is difficult because Arsenal are unstoppable, a difficult knockout awaits us in the Champions League and in the national team we have already played in the Nations League last year and let’s see if we can lift it this year.

On the road to the Champions League, Real Madrid may once again appear with memories of what happened at the Santiago Bernabéu.

This is somewhat forgotten and obviously learning from past experiences always adds up. Firstly, we have a very difficult tie against Bayern in their return leg at home but we will go about our business. We have little time in the competition and every game is final. We are not thinking about more than the match against Bayern.