“I learned to be a little more of a b******” – Rodri Hernandez on playing under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

Rodri Hernandez has developed into one of the best players in the world during his time at Manchester City. Prior to joining the reigning Premier League champions in 2019, he spent time at Villarreal and Atletico Madrid – and he learned plenty during his spells in Spain.

Rodri recently gave an interview to The Players Tribune (via MD), during which he discussed his career at length. He talked learning things along the way, including the spells at Villarreal and Atleti.

“Every step of my way, I learned from my failures and brought something new to the table – a new piece of the puzzle. At Villarreal, I learned what it means to be a professional. Not just a footballer, but a professional.

“When I returned home, to Atletico, for a 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. With Diego Simeone, I learned what it means to be the bad guy – to be a bit of a b****** on the pitch. It was about making the other team a mess for 90 minutes. That was another important piece.”

Man City may have moulded Rodri into a top-class player, but it was his time at Villarreal and Atletico Madrid were the building blocks started. There’s little doubt that he is thankful to both clubs for playing their part in his development.