Pundit Frank Leboeuf has admitted that there is something about Rodri that he really likes that lots of other people criticise him for.
Rodri saw his unbeaten run finally come to an end on Sunday, as Manchester City lost the FA Cup against Manchester United.
The midfielder went 74 games without losing in 90 minutes, as City relinquished the FA Cup to their bottle rivals, losing 2-1 at Wembley.
Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo got the goals for United, and the electric Jeremy Doku scored a late consolation for City. The Belgian came on at half-time for City and was a real livewire.
When City have lost games in the past, Rodri has drawn criticism for the way he has spoken afterwards, with some feeling that he is a ‘sore loser’.
But this is something Frank Leboeuf actually likes about the midfield maestro…
Frank Leboeuf likes the way Rodri speaks when Manchester City lose games
Many people have taken great satisfaction in City losing against United in the FA Cup final.
The club’s dominance in recent times has worn thin for a lot of rival fans, and plenty were hoping to see United triumph at Wembley.
After the defeat to United, Pep Guardiola didn’t believe his side were the worst team. But he did say later on that his game plan in the first-half was ‘not good’.
Someone who didn’t actually speak after Sunday’s defeat was Rodri. It is unclear whether he wasn’t asked or he didn’t want to.
Previously, Rodri has drawn criticism for the way he has reacted to losing games. Many feel as though he is a sore loser, and that he feels there is only one way of playing.
But Leboeuf actually likes the way he reacts, saying in a video for ESPN: “At some points, I like what he says. It means that he doesn’t accept (defeats or poor performances).
“I love those players who have that temperament and they don’t accept what they just went through and I like it. Yeah he’s a bad loser, let’s say. He wants to win all the time so he doesn’t accept it. Whether he’s right or not, we don’t really care.
“He lost some games, he won more than he lost. He’s a tremendous player, and again, I like the fact he never accepts losing games.”
Rodri has an elite mentality
No quotes from Rodri have emerged since Saturday’s final. But the 27-year-old has certainly annoyed people in the past with his reactions to losing games.
After going out of the Champions League to Real Madrid, he said (via Goal) ‘I’ve only seen one team’ trying to win the game. When he lost with Spain to Morocco at the World Cup and to Scotland in the Euro qualifiers, Rodri was again critical of his opponents’ way of playing.
But this is part of the reason the £63 million man is as good and influential as he is.
Rodri, as Leoboeuf says, does not accept losing or mediocrity. He wants to win, and that mentality is why he’s won so many trophies and is as good a player as he is.
Whether he is right or not with what he says is up for debate. But you cannot deny the man is just hell-bent on winning. And this kind of mentality is contagious.