Manchester City midfielder Rodri says the early battles of his career in LaLiga were the making of him.
Rodri was rejected by Villarreal and later found his feet at Atletico Madrid under coach Diego Simeone.
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He wrote in the Players' Tirbue: "Every step of my way, I learned from my failures and brought something new to the table – a new piece of the puzzle. At Villarreal, I learned what it means to be a professional. Not just a footballer, but a professional.
“When I returned home, to Atletico, for a season, I learned what competitiveness really means. When I was at Villarreal, I was very good with the ball at my feet, but I was still a bit soft.
"With Diego Simeone, I learned what it means to be the bad guy – to be a bit of a b****** on the pitch. It was about making the other team a mess for 90 minutes. That was another important piece.”