Rodri's second game came almost three months later, in the last round of the season, playing the last ten minutes at UD Almería: in the 93rd minute, Frédéric Kanouté passed to Jesús Navas, who crossed the ball to the box. After a failed attempt by Sébastien Squillaci, the youngster scored the 3–2 winner through a bicycle kick. With this victory, Sevilla edged RCD Mallorca for the fourth place, thus returning to the UEFA Champions League;[4] the player's performance was subsequently praised in the local press.[5]
Barcelona
Rodri was acquired by FC Barcelona Atlètic on 16 August 2011, signing a four-year contract.[6] He made his official debut 11 days later, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home loss against Villarreal CF B in the Segunda División.[7]
On 31 January 2013, Rodri returned to Barcelona, being immediately loaned to Real Zaragoza for the rest of the season and with the Aragonese having the option to extend a further year.[11] He scored the first of his two league goals on 30 March, opening the 1–1 home draw with Real Madrid,[12] but his team eventually suffered relegation as last.
Rodri joined fellow second-division side Almería in a season-long loan on 11 July 2013.[13] He made his debut for them on 19 August, starting and scoring twice but in a 3–2 home loss to Villarreal CF,[14] then proceeded to net five more times in the following 12 matches, including the game's only against Real Valladolid[15] and CA Osasuna.[16]
On 28 November 2013, Rodri suffered an injury in his right ankle,[17] returning to the squad weeks later. However, on 11 December he suffered a sprain in his left ankle,[18] being again sidelined until 22 February of the following year[19] when he played the last 19 minutes of a 0–0 home draw against Málaga CF.[20]
On 27 July 2016, shortly after cutting ties with TSV by mutual consent,[25] Rodri returned to his homeland and penned a one-year contract with Córdoba CF.[26] He continued competing in the second division in the following seasons, with Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa[27] and Granada CF.[28]
On 16 October 2019, free agent Rodri signed a short-term deal with Bristol City lasting until January 2020, with the option of an extension until 30 June.[29][30] He returned to his homeland shortly after, joining Real Oviedo of division two for six months.[31]
After a shoulder injury in a September 2020 friendly, Rodri missed the first 13 matches of the new season for Oviedo, returning on 24 November away to CD Lugo.[32] After six months without a team, he dropped into the third tier for the first time in 11 years, signing with UD Logroñés of the new Primera Federación for the remainder of the campaign on 31 January 2022.[33]
Having not scored during his spell in La Rioja, Rodri remained in the same league by moving to AD Ceuta FC on 8 November 2022.[34] He scored on his debut as a second-half substitute four days later, the only goal in the first round of the Copa del Rey at CD Utrera;[35] he added another in a 3–2 home win over second-tier UD Ibiza in the next round[36] and then the only one of a defeat of top-flight Elche CF also at the Estadio Alfonso Murube on 3 January, putting the club in the last 16 for the first time in their history.[37] He ended the league season as top scorer with 20 goals from 24 games,[38] including a hat-trick on 26 February in a 3–1 away victory against Pontevedra CF.[39]
^"¡Todos disponibles!" [All available!] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 21 February 2014. Archived from the original on 18 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
^"Rodri will für die Löwen treffen" [Rodri wants to score for the Lions] (in German). 1860 Munich. 29 August 2014. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
