Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, known as Rodri or Rodrigo, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the Spain national team. He is considered by pundits to be one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and is known for his versatility, accurate passing and tactical ability.
Rodri playing for Manchester City in 2023
The 2023 UEFA Champions League final was the final match of the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League, the 68th season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA. It was played at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, on 10 June 2023, between English club Manchester City and Italian club Inter Milan, with Manchester City winning 1–0 via a second-half goal by Rodri, who was named man of the match by UEFA. For Manchester City, this was their first-ever European Cup, and first European trophy since 1970. Having earlier won the Premier League and FA Cup titles, they achieved the continental treble, only the second time it had been achieved in English men's football history. As winners, Manchester City earned the right to play against Sevilla, the winners of the 2022–23 UEFA Europa League, in the 2023 UEFA Super Cup, as well as qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup; they went on to win both competitions. They also qualified for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup through UEFA's champions pathway.
The Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul hosted the final.
Erling Haaland, who joined Manchester City at the beginning of the 2022–23 season from Borussia Dortmund, was the top scorer in the competition with 12 goals en route to the final.
Lautaro Martínez's goal in the second leg of the semi-final against Milan secured Inter Milan's spot in the final.