Rodri: Real Madrid's referee corruption accusations hurt football

The referee storm surrounding the latest Madrid derby has found a critical voice inside the Barcelona dressing room. Rodri Hernandez, the 30-year-old midfielder, described the accusations of officiating manipulation made by Real Madrid and coach Jose Mourinho as harmful to football. Speaking on Cadena Cope, the Spain international also shed light on the strong interest Real Madrid showed in signing him last summer.

• Rodri argues referees can make mistakes, but their errors do not decide a 38-game league season.
• On the derby, he admits Kang-in Lee's challenge could have been a red card and Cuti Romero's was harder to judge.
• The midfielder believes narratives about a rigged competition damage football.
• He confirms Real Madrid's full commitment to signing him before he chose Barcelona.

Rodri's view on the derby and its controversial incidents

The Madrid-born player analyzed the match from both a footballing and a disciplinary perspective. He felt the scoreline did not reflect what happened over the 90 minutes: in Rodri's view, Atletico Madrid were superior, more present, made better decisions and fully deserved the victory. His assessment went beyond the result and highlighted the control Diego Simeone's side exercised throughout the match.

On the incidents Real Madrid claimed should have produced red cards, the Barcelona midfielder separated the two cases. He found Cuti Romero's action more complex, uncertain whether the defender had the time or physical margin to pull his foot away in the challenge. By contrast, he admitted Kang-in Lee's tackle could have warranted a dismissal, though he added that he did not believe the South Korean acted with intent to harm.

Referees can make mistakes sometimes, but I don't believe their errors carry weight over a 38-game league season.

The rigged league narrative under Rodri's scrutiny

When journalist Juanma Castano asked how the Barcelona dressing room reacts to claims that the competition is designed for them to win it, Rodri was direct. In his opinion, that kind of discourse does a disservice to the sport. He stressed that football comes first, and reminded everyone that all those involved, players and referees alike, are human and make mistakes.

The midfielder did not attack clubs' right to defend their position. He himself has spoken out when he felt it was necessary. However, he drew a line: standing up for your club is legitimate up to a point, and that point is crossed when the idea of a manipulated competition takes hold. "That hurts football," he said.

Mourinho and Real Madrid's complaints over the referee appointment

Rodri's words came after Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid questioned the appointment of Ortiz Arias as the derby referee. The Real Madrid coach claimed the Technical Committee of Referees should be congratulated for achieving what it intended, a direct suggestion that the appointment was designed to harm his team. Barcelona had not officially entered the controversy until Rodri made his remarks.

Real Madrid's interest in signing Rodri

Rodri also used the interview to shed light on another issue surrounding his arrival at Barcelona: Real Madrid's previous interest. The Spain international said the club showed significant interest from the start and behaved in an exemplary manner. According to his account, their proposals involved going all in for the player, an approach he said he appreciated.

The factor that complicated Rodri's decision

The midfielder revealed that he spoke with people from Real Madrid and that those conversations made his decision more difficult. He chose not to say whether he talked directly with Florentino Perez, preferring to keep that private. He did emphasize that they conveyed enthusiasm and a strong desire to bring him to the club, which showed the level of commitment Real Madrid had in the operation.