The young Betis playmaker had a past in La Masia where he met Ansu Fati and now they meet again in the tournament played in Arabia
Real Betis has already set its sights on the Spanish Super Cup match. The Verdiblancos have high expectations of it a match they have not played since 2005. FC Barcelona will be the rival of the béticos, a team that they already know in the most recent past what it is like to win. Last season, Manuel Pellegrini’s team won Camp Nou 0-1.
The meeting will also have a special meaning for Rodri Sánchez. The footballer from Talayuela knows the Barça team well, he played in La Masía in 2014. There he met, among others, Xavi Simons and Ansu Fati, who will be his rival on the field on Thursday.
Years later, Rodri would join Real Betis Balompié’s youth academy, where he has become an important asset to the Chilean coach. He is the tenth player with the most minutes in the squad, crossing the thousand mark (1,208).
Extremadura’s contribution this season has been very valuable for the Verdiblancos. He is the player with the most assists (4) of the entire team. Some of them were decisive, such as the lateral center that ended with a goal from Luiz Henrique at the Olímpico in Rome. He has also taken a step forward, matching and even surpassing the records set by players like Nabil Fekir in LaLiga this season.
Rodri will have another young talent ahead of him like Gavi. Both, trained at La Masía, have a similar midfield profile, but Talayuela’s stands out statistically. Given the economic situation of the Barça club, some may regret the departure of the man who was a youth player in the past.
His presence also has a positive influence on Real Betis. The team scores 10 goals more than it allows when Rodri participates. At the age of 22, he is already a player of the present and the future already waiting for FC Barcelona.
Source: Goal