Barcelona have won all seven of their La Liga matches, scored 31 goals and opened a six-point gap over Real Madrid. That is the backdrop for Rodri's arrival, and it is why the move already feels like it has landed inside a side going at full pace.

Luis Garcia Plaza, the Sevilla manager, captured the mood after Barcelona's 3-1 win at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan. "Barça, as of today, is the best team in Spain… They are very hungry," he told barcauniversal.com. He also said, "When a team spends time with the same coach, it picks up the automatisms very well."

Barcelona's league numbers

The record is the hard part to ignore. Seven wins from seven puts Barcelona on 21 points, their +24 goal difference and 31 goals scored showing a side winning by control as much as by talent.

Sevilla's praise is not a proclamation. It is an opinion, but it is an opinion backed by a team that has not dropped a league point yet and has already beaten Sevilla 3-1 away from home.

Rodri's first weeks in Spain

Rodri has already made 6 La Liga appearances for Barcelona, and the early return is a 7.01 league rating. He has also posted a 7.11 Champions League rating, which suggests the adaptation is not stopping at domestic football.

The move fits his career path too. Rodri won 12 major trophies with Manchester City and the Ballon d'Or in 2024, after Manchester City paid his 70m euro release clause in 2019. He was part of the 2021 Champions League final defeat to Chelsea before scoring the goal that won City the Champions League in 2023.

Barcelona face the next stretch with the table already reflecting a strong start. The six-point lead over Real Madrid and the 31 goals scored are the clearest markers of where they stand after seven games.

FAQ

Are Barcelona really the best team in Spain right now?

Luis Garcia Plaza said Barcelona are the best team in Spain, but that is an opinion. The hard facts are their perfect seven wins from seven in La Liga, 31 goals scored, a +24 goal difference and a six-point lead over Real Madrid.

Why does Rodri's move to Barcelona look well timed?

Rodri has joined a Barcelona side that are already winning every league game and producing big numbers in attack. He has made 6 La Liga appearances for the club, so the move is already landing on the pitch rather than staying as a headline.

What did Sevilla's manager say about Barcelona?

Luis Garcia Plaza said, 'Barça, as of today, is the best team in Spain… They are very hungry.' He also added that when a team spends time with the same coach, it picks up the automatisms very well.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →