Rodrigo Hernández returns to the Spanish national team, recovered from his injuries, to captain the squad in the last two friendlies before World Cup, against Serbia and Egypt. The Manchester City midfielder was asked by Spanish radio station Onda Cero about his recovery from the torn ACL injury that had him side-lined for nearly a year, followed by other injuries, and he is positive about because it allowed him to slow down and "recharged batteries".
"If I had to choose a moment when it happened to me, perhaps I would have chosen when it happened (...) It was good for me to rest, to slow down. Mentally, there was a lot of wear and tear. It has allowed me to recharge my batteries and come back with tremendous enthusiasm.
"This season I don't have as many minutes on the pitch and I'm coming back much fresher."
Rodri opens the door to Real Madrid despite playing with Atlético
Rodri was also asked about rumours regarding a potential transfer to Real Madrid, and the 29-year-old player was very keen on the idea, even if he had played for arch-rivals Atlético de Madrid before.
"I have one year left on my contract, so at some point we'll have to sit down and talk", Rodri said, and when asked specifically for Real Madrid, he said that "even though I played for Atlético, Madrid isn't a closed door for me; you can't turn down the best clubs."
He also declined having any animosity with Vinícius Jr. beyond the obvious sporting rivalry, after Rodri won Ballon d'Or over the Brazilian winger. "They wanted to pit us against each other, and I have a deep admiration for Vinicius the player."