Rodri’s first introduction to Barcelona fans didn’t quite go to plan.
The best player at the 2026 World Cup officially signed for the Catalans and met supporters at their traditional curtain raiser.
Barca began their season with the traditional ‘Joan Gamper Trophy’ friendly and beat Egyptian side Al Ahly 2-1 at the Camp Nou.
Pre-match the squad were introduced to the crowd, with special applause for the Spanish World Cup winners.
Rodri got the biggest cheer of all, having snubbed Real Madrid for a €75million switch to Barca from Manchester City.
Barcelona fans highlight complicated De Jong relationship
However, there wasn’t such a positive reception for future midfield partner Frenkie De Jong.
One of the reasons Barca spent so big on the aging Rodri was due to a World Cup injury De Jong suffered that is expected to keep him out for months.
Rumours have persisted that he played through injury for the Netherlands, and he’s since appeared to put blame on the national team’s medical department.
Yet some sections of the fanbase think he risked his Barca career for his country and haven’t forgiven him.
That couldn’t have been much clearer than when De Jong walked out ahead of the match to some boos and whistles.
De Jong even appeared to gesture to his ear in response to the lukewarm welcome.
And it comes after he held a shock interview to deny the allegations.
De Jong fails to clear up fraction with Barca fans
Speaking to Barca’s media channel on August 14th, he said: “We had a test done and it showed that the injury was now more serious than when I had it done in the United States.
“It was really tough because I wasn’t expecting it. Nobody was expecting it. That’s really messed up. It really sucks.
“I wasn’t expecting it. It really sucks because what I love most is playing football, especially for Barcelona and the national team. So when I’m injured, it really sucks.
“I kept playing because I love playing football. The World Cup is a dream and I would always do everything possible to play. I’ve also done it many times at Barca and that’s what I did.”
He added: “We have developed a plan that everyone knows and agrees with.
“I’m seeing that many things are being said that aren’t true. Many false things are being published, and I’m noticing that this is damaging my image and affecting how some people think about me.
“I’m okay, but I feel like there’s a lot of noise around me, a lot of fake news and things like that, and it bothers me.
“I wanted to explain a little bit about how I feel and what’s been going on, to get that anger off my chest and be able to focus solely on recovery.”
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