Real Madrid’s failure to sign Rodri is becoming a difficult decision to ignore, with the Spain international already playing a central role in Barcelona’s impressive start to the season.

Mundo Deportivo reports that there is frustration in Madrid over the midfielder’s decision to join Barça, particularly as Real were actively trying to convince him before the Catalan club entered the race. 

Heading into the first international break of the season, Barcelona have opened up a six-point advantage over Real Madrid, a run in which Rodri has been extremely crucial for Hansi Flick’s side.

For Real Madrid, it is suggested that the issue is not only the fact that Rodri joined a direct rival. His arrival has also exposed the profile of midfielder the club arguably needed after the departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.

Real Madrid eventually backed the Rodri pursuit

There had initially been reservations within the club over pursuing Rodri, particularly because Enrique Riquelme, Florentino Perez’s rival in the Real Madrid presidential elections, had backed the midfielder as one of his key players.

Despite that political background, re-elected president Florentino Perez ultimately approved an attempt to bring Rodri to the Bernabeu.

Jose Mourinho then tried to sell the midfielder on his project at Real Madrid. Rodri appreciated the interest and the way he was treated, but Barcelona’s involvement changed the equation.

Rodri ultimately chose Barça and personally contacted Mourinho to thank him for his approach before informing the Real Madrid manager of his decision.

The disappointment is now being felt against the backdrop of Barcelona’s performances. 

Rodri has become a midfield reference for Flick, operating alongside Pedri and providing the control, defensive cover and build-up quality that Barça wanted from him.

Bernardo Silva and Arda Guler have not solved the problem

The more complicated part for Real Madrid is what happened after Rodri turned them down.

Rather than returning to the market for another natural playmaker, Madrid placed their faith in Bernardo Silva as the solution. 

The Portuguese is an outstanding attacking midfielder, but his profile is different from the deep-lying controller Real had been seeking, while Arda Guler falls into a similar category. 

As a result, Real Madrid find themselves six points behind Barcelona in the league table.

The results do not prove that Rodri alone would have solved Madrid’s problems, but they have renewed the debate over whether the club replaced the right type of midfielder.

Rodri’s Barcelona success makes the decision harder

Rodri’s early impact at Barcelona is like salt in the wound.

He has shown an ability to drop between or alongside the centre-backs, offer an outlet under pressure and protect the defence when required. 

Against Sevilla, his willingness to drop deeper helped Barça control dangerous moments without sacrificing their attacking structure.

That is precisely the sort of versatility Real Madrid have lacked at times.

The club’s decision to pursue Rodri was therefore understandable even with the initial reservations surrounding his candidacy. The bigger question now is whether Real Madrid should have looked for a comparable profile after losing him.