Barcelona have officially announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Rodri from Manchester City, meaning only Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias and Jack Grealish remain from the starting XI that helped City win the 2022-23 Champions League final during their historic treble-winning season.
Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019 and spent the following years playing under manager Pep Guardiola. During his time at the club, he won one Ballon d’Or, one Champions League, four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and one Club World Cup.
His final came in the 2022-23 Champions League final, when Rodri started for Manchester City and scored the only goal of the match. That victory secured the club’s first Champions League title and completed a historic treble.
Following his departure for Barcelona, just three members of Manchester City’s starting line-up from that final remain at the club: Haaland, Ruben Dias and Grealish.
The rest of the XI have since moved to other clubs or, in Rodri’s case, completed an official transfer to Barcelona. The line-up from the Champions League final is now:
Forward
Haaland
Midfield
Grealish, Ilkay Gundogan (Galatasaray), Rodri (Barcelona), Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), John Stones (Internazionale), Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid)
Defence
Nathan Ake (Fenerbahce), Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji (Internazionale)
Goalkeeper
Ederson (Fenerbahce)
The changes mean that the side which started Manchester City’s first Champions League final victory has been almost completely broken up. Rodri was a central figure in that team, both as a midfielder and as the scorer of the decisive goal.
His move also marks the latest change to a line-up that represented one of the most successful periods in Manchester City’s history. Guardiola’s side won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in the 2022-23 campaign, completing the treble referred to in the original line-up’s history.
Haaland, Ruben Dias and Grealish are now the only players left from the starting XI used in that final. The other eight players listed in the team have either joined Galatasaray, Napoli, Internazionale, Real Madrid, Fenerbahce or Barcelona.
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