Rodri, Spain's captain, attended a press conference ahead of the UEFA Nations League match alongside coach Luis de la Fuente. Their first game will be away against England. Rodri expressed confidence that his former club Manchester City will resolve the issues it currently faces, after the club was recently accused of financial fair play violations.

Do you feel the responsibility of being world champions?

Of course, especially after we've come this far. That feeling becomes even clearer. But this team wants more glory. We know what it means to be former champions, but we also understand that the only way forward is to keep improving ourselves. Let the past be the past. Now it's time to focus on the UEFA Nations League. Tomorrow we'll face a team that performs well in important matches.

114 of 115 charges against Manchester City found to be true

I went through this same process back in 2020. The legal proceedings were identical to now, except for the prosecutors. The club always told us not to worry, that we wouldn't be punished, and in the end the club was cleared. Whatever the outcome, I hope justice prevails, but I believe Manchester City will be cleared of the charges.

It seems you don't care about the Ballon d'Or?

Do you really think I don't want it? (laughs) The award doesn't depend on what you say, but on what you do on the pitch and on the votes of 100 jurors. As I always say, individual honors are rewards for teamwork. Of course, personally I've always hoped a Spaniard would win. I hope I can win it, but it's not up to me.

How have the last two months been since winning the World Cup?

For me, this period is full of anticipation. I'm very happy to have won the World Cup and to have proved that I'm back in peak form. Now I'm entering another exciting phase. I'm very grateful to FC Barcelona. I've joined a very important club and I'm very satisfied with this move. It was a busy summer, but everything has settled now. I'm very happy to be here representing my country.

Barcelona players are the backbone of the Spanish national team

The relationship between players is very important and it's even better to have many players from the same club. But the national team belongs to everyone, and you always need to adapt mentally. I think it's beneficial to have seven or eight players from the same club in the team, especially when that club's style of play is very similar to the national team's.

Are De la Fuente's demands very different from Hansi Flick's?

Every coach has some differences in their specific demands, but many situations are similar, especially regarding responsibility. Under Hans's (Hansi Flick's) management, our defensive setup was different from the national team, but both coaches demand the same thing from players: to take on a key role in their position, to start pressing, to start attacking...

How does it feel to be back living in Spain?

It wasn't hard to adapt because Spain is my home. I spent seven years in England and missed many things here because I consider it home. I'm very happy to be back playing in England, and I'm looking forward to playing a great match tomorrow and showing everyone what kind of team we are.

Pep Guardiola said we'll see the best version of Rodri again this season

He understands that players go through different recovery stages after a serious injury like mine. Pep Guardiola was a midfielder. I don't remember if he suffered a similar injury, but the recovery process is crucial. Nowadays we all want quick results, but the body has its own recovery timeline. I understand this and I'm mentally prepared. My goal is to reach the World Cup in the best possible condition. With this plan, the unseen effort behind the scenes is paying off. I want to thank Pep (Guardiola) for understanding this process and not just considering the club's interests. Because of this, everyone saw me in excellent form at the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. For that reason, I want to thank Manchester City and Pep. I'm satisfied with my entire recovery process and current condition.

To become a Manchester City legend

If you work hard every day, success will come eventually. Everything we've achieved cannot be taken from us because it cannot be bought with money. It's the result of working together every day. I'm very proud to have experienced one of the most glorious periods in English football.

Are you worried that Manchester City's titles will be stripped away?

This means different things to players than it does to journalists. I understand everyone's perspective, but we try to look on the bright side. If you saw the effort that everyone at Manchester City has put in to achieve success, you would understand that our success cannot be taken away. They weren't bought with money but earned through hard work and team spirit. Everything we've achieved is what we deserve. We've created one of the greatest eras in English football history. I believe the club is innocent, and we've already overcome similar difficulties in 2020.

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