One wedding leads to another. That’s how the Spanish saying goes (‘De una boda sale otra boda’).
This summer, however, a wedding led to Rodri signing for Barcelona from Manchester City. La Liga’s champions saw off rival interest from Real Madrid to complete a transfer that could be worth up to €76.5million (£65.3m; $87.8m) including add-ons.
Back in late July, Rodri was on holiday on the Costa Brava. Fresh from lifting the World Cup and winning the award for the tournament’s best player, the 30-year-old Spain captain was there to attend the wedding of Dani Codina, an old friend.
Codina is Barcelona’s chief of operations and player services, a role he started in 2025. He worked in a similar post at Manchester City, where he met and became close to Rodri. Multiple members of City’s backroom staff under Pep Guardiola were also present at the wedding in Spain’s north east.
Rodri arrived with enough time before the ceremony to spend a few days unwinding in one of the most picturesque and captivating landscapes Catalonia has to offer, a two-hour drive up the coast from Barcelona.
But on one of those days, he had some business to deal with, and to do so, he needed a favour. He had a very specific request: he was looking for a discreet spot to meet somebody for lunch, emphasising that he absolutely had to go unnoticed.
Rodri was pointed towards a restaurant in Begur called Can Pitu, a traditional place in one of the area’s well-visited towns. Begur is filled with shops and restaurants, but Can Pitu is off the radar. Old-school, unprepossessing and away from the most touristic streets, it is mostly frequented by locals who know all you need to: the food is excellent.
Rodri lifts his Golden Ball prize for being named best player at the World Cup (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Rodri stepped into the restaurant without a reservation and asked for a table. A few minutes later, Barcelona’s sporting director Deco came in. Nobody in the place made a fuss or asked for a photo.
Pictures of the two together would have made for a major scoop. At that point, it was looking like Rodri would be leaving Manchester City to join Real Madrid. Sources at the 15-time European champions — like all those cited here, they spoke anonymously to protect relationships — appeared confident that agreement would be reached.
During Codina’s wedding on July 25, the rumour among guests was that Rodri had changed his mind and wanted to join Barca. Video footage of him singing and dancing to Barcelona songs at the party would be shared on social media several weeks later.
On the Costa Brava, it seemed the chances of a Barca hijack were growing, but there were still significant steps to take towards a move to the Camp Nou. Back at Madrid, the message coming out of the Bernabeu was still one of confidence. Some sources even considered his arrival a done deal, even though Madrid had not made contact with City.
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final on July 19 (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
In the background, talks between Rodri’s camp and Barcelona continued. On August 5, Deco again travelled for another key meeting, this time to Madrid.
The following day, The Athletic reported that Barca were exploring a deal for Rodri, who preferred a move to them.
At Madrid, the news came as a blow to rebuilding plans under new manager Jose Mourinho. That same day, they announced the signing of Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to €140million. On social media, scores of replies criticised the club for missing out on Rodri.
Barcelona were still proceeding with utmost caution. Deco’s strategy for signings is to keep things as closed as possible. In most transfer operations, only a very small number of individuals are made aware of developments from his office.
In Rodri’s case especially, Deco and Barca’s leadership wanted to be extremely careful. They had already learnt a tough lesson from their pursuit of Bernardo Silva this summer.
Barca got in touch with Bernardo and his camp to discuss signing him as a free agent as his contract with Manchester City expired. They believed they had reached a verbal agreement for him to join.
However, Bernardo kept listening to offers and Real Madrid played their hand, convincing the Portugal midfielder to join them instead. Barca wanted assurances that Rodri was fully on board before entering negotiations with City.
Rodri was in the final year of his contract at City and had turned down offers of an extension (Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Sources close to the situation say Rodri’s decision to switch his preference from Madrid to Barca was primarily due to how they play, anticipating a style that better suits his game and is similar to what he has been used to at City and with Spain.
Beyond Deco’s moves and secret lunches, manager Hansi Flick also spoke with Rodri on multiple occasions as Barca sought to advance the transfer. Flick was eager to add Rodri’s experience and leadership to his talented but youthful squad that has won consecutive league titles.
However, Barcelona’s eight Spain internationals who were with Rodri at the World Cup this summer did not play a significant role in efforts to convince him.
By contrast, when Madrid’s concerns over Barca’s moves first surfaced, club executives asked the team’s players and other individuals with a connection to Rodri to reach him and make sure he was still convinced by their offer to join. Despite those attempts, his mind appeared made up.
Madrid believe they made a good proposal to Rodri, on both the football and finance sides. It is also true that, before the World Cup, Madrid were not considering signing him.
There were doubts about his physical condition and age, a new contract had been agreed with holding midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, and Rodri’s name had also been associated with Enrique Riquelme, the opposition candidate to Florentino Perez in June’s presidential election.
But the World Cup changed everything. While Madrid sources respected his decision to choose Barca, his performances for Spain were an eye-opening example of how dominant he still can be in a position Madrid have struggled to cover since the departures of Toni Kroos in 2024 and Luka Modric in 2025.
At Barca, Rodri’s signing is seen as a unique opportunity to significantly improve their squad.
Why Barcelona is a better fit than Real Madrid for Rodri
Thom Harris
Previous manager Xavi spent almost an entire season searching for a defensive-midfield successor to Sergio Busquets, who left following the 2022-23 campaign, before eventually adapting without one.
When Flick arrived as Xavi’s replacement, Marc Casado performed well in the early stages of 2024-25, while Marc Bernal, now 19, emerged as a brilliant prospect. Eric Garcia has also played expertly in the holding midfield role and Barca have finally seen the best of Frenkie de Jong under their German coach.
De Jong’s fitness was a factor in Barca’s thinking on Rodri. The 29-year-old Netherlands international returned from the World Cup in July with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee, and Barca put his expected recovery time at four months.
Rodri won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 (Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Barcelona’s first bid for Rodri, reported by The Athletic on August 7, included an initial fee of around €45million plus add-ons. City valued the player at closer to €80m and did not regard Barca’s opening salvo as serious.
City had been trying to extend Rodri’s contract on multiple occasions, but when these were rejected, they became open to selling the midfielder, whose deal was set to run until June 2027.
Sources familiar with the deal said it had been made clear to them, weeks before negotiations started, that Rodri’s choice was Barcelona over Real Madrid and that there was also a preference on the City side to do business with Madrid, who were seen as easier to deal with than Barca, although the Premier League side denied both of these points when asked by The Athletic.
Barca, who have consistently said they are financially in a position to make major signings this summer, kept pushing and improving their terms. A second bid brought their valuation to €60million, but this was also turned down as City held out for more.
Nine days on from Barca’s opening offer, a breakthrough was finally made with an agreement in principle over a deal worth up to €76.5million — of which €60m will come as an up-front fee. Of those add-ons, around €11m is viewed as more achievable.
On Monday evening, Rodri landed in Barcelona and addressed reporters waiting outside the airport.
“It’s been an intense few days, I’m happy it’s all been resolved. I’m very happy to be here,” he said.
“To play for Barcelona is a dream for me. I’m really excited to join up with my team-mates, most of whom I already know. Now, it’s time to get to work.”
Additional reporting: Mario Cortegana, David Ornstein, Sam Lee, Laia Cervelló Herrero
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Peyton Watson will join the Cavaliers via trade. Scott Taetsch / Getty Images
Denver Nuggets restricted free-agent forward Peyton Watson is being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a multi-team deal, multiple league sources confirmed to The Athletic. ESPN was first to report the trade. Forward Max Strus will go to the LA Clippers in the deal, which nets the Nuggets a first-round pick and a second-round pick.
This story will be updated.
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The Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays at 6:40 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Drew Rasmussen (12-5, 2.78 ERA) will start for the Rays, who are 75-50 this season and first in the AL East. Max Scherzer (1-5, 6.59 ERA) is expected to start for the Blue Jays, who are 62-65 and fourth in the AL East.
Ben Williamson: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Victor Mesa Jr.: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Cole Sulser: 15 Day IL (Back), Griffin Jax: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Jake Fraley: 60 Day IL (Groin), Manuel Rodriguez: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Ryan Pepiot: 60 Day IL (Hip), Gavin Lux: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jon Heasley: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Edwin Uceta: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)
Luis Urias: 10 Day IL (Quadricep), Jonatan Clase: 10 Day IL (Foot), Spencer Arrighetti: 15 Day IL (Foot), Jameson Taillon: 15 Day IL (Forearm), Trey Yesavage: 15 Day IL (Knee), Cody Ponce: 60 Day IL (Knee), Anthony Santander: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jake Bloss: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Bowden Francis: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Joe Mantiply: 60 Day IL (Knee), Addison Barger: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Yimi Garcia: 60 Day IL (Elbow), José Berrios: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Patrick Corbin: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 7 Day IL (Head)
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Washington Commanders outside linebacker Dorance Armstrong kicked a police officer while being arrested during an incident in May 2025 in Frisco, Texas, according to police and court records. The NFL on Friday announced that Armstrong was suspended for the first game of the upcoming regular season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, without providing any details.
Armstrong, now 29, was initially charged with assaulting a peace officer with bodily injury, resisting arrest and public intoxication, the first of which is a second-degree felony and punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
Armstrong accepted a plea deal with “deferred adjudication community supervision,” meaning he pleaded guilty but the court held off on entering his conviction. He was placed on nine months of conditional probation in January and was ordered to pay a $100 fine and perform community service.
Neither Armstrong’s agent nor his attorney responded to requests for comment.
The incident took place around 7:45 p.m. on May 10, 2025, in Frisco, according to the redacted arrest report. Two officers from the Frisco Police Department were dispatched to a call for service from a woman — later described as Armstrong’s girlfriend — who claimed Armstrong was intoxicated and trying to remove her and her two young children from their home.
Officers arrived to find Armstrong standing outside with another man, Charles Gaston, who later told the officers that he helped manage Armstrong and his finances, according to the report.
The reporting officer noted that Armstrong smelled of alcohol and was “clearly upset” to see law enforcement arrive. He began to shout profanities at the officers, calling one of them “a b—-” and telling them to leave, the report says. The officers noticed that Armstrong’s right hand was bleeding and he had blood on his shirt.
Gaston told one of the officers that he and Armstrong had been at a “business meeting” since about 1 p.m. that day and that Armstrong “drank too many alcoholic beverages” and had been arguing with his girlfriend, according to the report. Armstrong and Gaston had not yet gone inside the home when officers arrived, the report says, and Armstrong had punched the brick exterior out of anger, injuring his right hand.
While the reporting officer spoke with Gaston, another man, Michael Ledo, arrived and said he was Armstrong’s manager. Gaston and Ledo both attempted to calm Armstrong, according to the report. The second officer then went inside to speak to Armstrong’s girlfriend.
Armstrong’s girlfriend informed the officer that they had been arguing for most of the day but that there had been no physical altercation between them. She told the officer she knew Armstrong was intoxicated and was scared to have him come inside the home, according to the arrest report.
With the officers still there, Armstrong entered the backyard of the home through a side gate and pounded on the windows and doors and kicked the back door to try to get inside. The officers convinced his girlfriend to leave the home for the night, the report says.
But Armstrong was able to see through the home and “started to ramp up” upon seeing his girlfriend pack her suitcase, according to the officers’ report.
As Armstrong’s girlfriend began to load her suitcase and children in the car, officers reported hearing glass break at the rear of the home. As they helped Armstrong’s girlfriend get into the vehicle, Armstrong emerged from the backyard. He yelled to the officer to “get away from my baby” and to “give me my baby,” but the other officer intervened, allowing the child to be loaded into the vehicle so Ledo could drive off.
Armstrong then allegedly turned his anger on Gaston and repeatedly tried to instigate a fight with him.
The officers reported that Armstrong’s “anger and unpredictability,” combined with the information that he punched a wall, made him “a threat to himself and others.” He was arrested for public intoxication and placed in handcuffs, but as officers began to walk him to the patrol car, he began to resist and started to walk in the opposite direction, they reported.
A third officer then arrived. Armstrong “actively resisted” being put in the patrol car, according to the report.
When the third officer tried to reach over Armstrong to connect his seat belt, Armstrong turned and kicked the officer in his chest, according to the arrest report.
Armstrong was transported to Frisco County Jail and, according to the police report, declined multiple offers for medical assistance.
As part of his plea bargain, Armstrong’s charges were reduced to a Class A misdemeanor punishable with up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. Armstrong entered a guilty plea and was placed on probation that requires him to submit to random urinalysis as well as a substance abuse screening, and to avoid alcohol, drugs, firearms and any contact with the officer he kicked. He was also required to do 30 hours of community service, agree to anger management and pay the $100 fine and court costs.
The Commanders, who declined to comment on Armstrong’s arrest or one-game ban, adhered to the NFL protocols for reporting the arrest and supported the league’s investigation, according to a source briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak about it publicly.
The NFL waited until the legal process played out before determining Armstrong’s punishment. He did not appeal his ban, according to a league source.
A 2018 fourth-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys, Armstrong has been a starter on Washington’s defensive line since signing with the team in 2024. Last season, he led the team with 5.5 sacks through the first seven games, but he suffered an ACL injury that cost him the remainder of the season.
Armstrong opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list but returned to the field a week later.
His one-game suspension begins Aug. 30, the day NFL teams must pare their rosters to their initial 53-man list. Armstrong will be placed on the Commanders’ reserve/suspended list and will be eligible for reinstatement Sept. 14, the day after the team’s season opener against the Eagles in Philadelphia.
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