Ricardo Rodriguez, the experienced Swiss defender with a significant spell in Italy at both AC Milan and Torino, recently shared insights into his career, including his departure from the Rossoneri and his time under Ivan Juric. Despite now playing in Spain for Real Betis, he still retains a good grasp of Italian.
Reflecting on the recent Conference League final loss to Chelsea, Rodriguez felt the match was decided by minor details. He believed Betis performed well in the first half, taking the lead, and should have secured the win, adding that, in his view, Chelsea did not deserve the victory.
Born in Switzerland with a Spanish father and Chilean mother, Rodriguez never hesitated when it came to choosing his national team. Switzerland was the first to contact him, offering better prospects than Spain. Chile never extended an invitation.
He currently ranks as the second-most capped player in Swiss national team history, trailing only Granit Xhaka. Both players, aged 32, are likely to retire around the same time. However, Rodriguez places less importance on the record itself, cherishing instead the journey they`ve shared since winning the U17 World Cup together.
Among his many major tournaments, including three European Championships and three World Cups, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil remains particularly memorable due to his mother`s South American heritage. He recalls their Round of 16 exit against Argentina in extra time.
At Wolfsburg, Rodriguez was renowned for his expertise in set pieces. He describes this skill as something innate, practiced since childhood without requiring excessive specific training. He admired Juninho Pernambucano for his incredible free-kick ability. During his time in Germany, he earned the nickname `the taxi driver` because he occasionally gave rides to a young fan waiting for him after training, dropping the boy off at the train station.
He also reminisced about playing alongside a young Kevin De Bruyne at Wolfsburg, describing him as one of the strongest players he`s ever shared a pitch with, highlighting De Bruyne`s phenomenal season there with remarkable goal and assist numbers.
His move to AC Milan in 2017 was driven by his desire for a new experience after five and a half years at Wolfsburg, and it was strongly pursued by Mirabelli. While Inter had shown interest some months prior, Mirabelli, who previously worked for the Nerazzurri, played a crucial role in bringing him to Milan.
The Milan period coincided with the challenging Yonghong Li ownership. Rodriguez noted that despite the off-field uncertainties, the team formed a good group with many new players. Although the initial goal was to compete for the Scudetto immediately, the significant squad changes meant time was needed for the team to gel, time they ultimately didn`t have. His brother Roberto, who played a season at Novara, had spoken positively about Italy before Ricardo`s arrival.
His Milan debut was memorable, scoring a free kick in the Europa League against Craiova from his favoured position. Despite this early success and his reputation, he took fewer free kicks in subsequent games, as coaches opted for other skilled players like Suso and Calhanoglu.
He played under Vincenzo Montella, whom he regarded as a good coach during an unfortunate period, and Gennaro Gattuso, described as a tough but effective manager who was sometimes physically demanding. Rodriguez felt closest to a group including Calhanoglu, Borini, and Kessie.
After a couple of decent seasons, he lost his starting spot following the arrival of Theo Hernandez. Under Marco Giampaolo (who was soon sacked) and subsequently Stefano Pioli, Theo became the first choice. Realizing he would only be considered a backup, Rodriguez requested to leave Milan.
His time at Torino began under Giampaolo again. Initially playing, his appearances decreased, and the club conveyed that he needed to contribute more. With the arrival of Davide Nicola, he was further marginalized. Rodriguez expressed his frustration with the consistent presence of the Sporting Director Vagnati on the bench, something he had never witnessed before and found unacceptable during his career.
The turning point at Torino was the arrival of Ivan Juric. Ricardo immediately told Juric he wanted to leave because of the directorial interference. Juric asked him to trust him and assured him it wouldn`t happen under his management. Juric kept his word, Vagnati was no longer on the bench, and Juric adapted his tactics, finding a role for Rodriguez as a wide centre-back. Ricardo credits Juric as the sole reason he remained at Torino that season.
He inherited the captain`s armband from Andrea Belotti. Rodriguez stated he would have declined if asked by club directors, but accepted because it was specifically requested by Juric.
For two years, he allowed Alessandro Buongiorno, a club academy product, to read out the names of the Superga tragedy victims. Rodriguez felt Buongiorno, with his deep connection to the club`s history, was better suited for the role and already recognized his immense potential.
His only goal for Torino was fittingly scored against his former club, Milan, and he celebrated. It was the last home game, and he knew both he and Juric would depart. He was critical of the Torino club`s conduct, stating they made no effort to keep him and didn`t even offer a farewell despite his two years as captain and commitment to the team, describing it as an unprecedented and negative experience in his career.
Before signing with Real Betis, Rodriguez played in the European Championship as a free agent. This was a difficult situation, as he feared an injury could make finding a new club at 31 challenging.
Following the Euros, Inter showed interest, with coach Inzaghi seeking experienced players. However, Real Betis pursued him strongly, and having always desired to play in Spain, Rodriguez ultimately chose the move to La Liga.
