A packed schedule for the hero of Istanbul. Rodri, still coming to terms with the size of his legacy – as scorer of the most important goal in Manchester City’s history – now turns his mind to transforming his treble into a unique, quick-fire quadruple.
His national team, the Spain he captained in their last competitive match, are in Netherlands to contest the last stage of the Uefa Nations League on Thursday. Beat Italy in Enschede and they contest Sunday’s final. For Rodri and his City colleague Aymeric Laporte, that could mean a fourth trophy in the space of 28 days.
On the penultimate Sunday of May, Rodri and Laporte were under a shower of confetti at the Etihad stadium, brandishing the Premier League. Two weekends later, in London, they were circling the Wembley pitch with the FA Cup.
Seven evenings on, Rodri, having struck the only goal in a taut Champions League final against Inter Milan, was telling reporters of the need to keep the momentum, of a dynasty City must now build. He may first need to build an extension to his personal cabinet of silverware.
Poor Matteo Darmian, the defender whose face so vividly registered Inter’s alarm in the 68th minute in Istanbul as Rodri advanced to meet Bernardo Silva’s cutback and coolly curled his powerful drive around Darmian. Pity Nicolo Barella, the Inter midfielder who was sprinting, in vain, to cover the space Rodri exploited. Both are in Enschede with Italy and would be forgiven for feeling they have spent quite enough of their June trying to track Rodri’s midfield runs.
Darmian’s two partners in the Inter back three, Francesco Acerbi and Alessandro Bastoni, are also with Italy, as is the Inter wing-back Federico Dimarco. They were all congratulated for a valiant season by Roberto Mancini, the national head coach as they gathered for Azzurri duty.
It has been a curious week for Mancini, too. He has his own storied history at City, one that included delivering the club’s first Premier League title as their manager 11 years ago and several episodes of frustration with City in Europe.
Part of Mancini’s task this week has been to lift Italy’s spirits. Besides the five Inter men, his Roma duo Lorenzo Pellegrini and Leo Spinazzola lost a major final at the end of the club season, beaten on penalties in the Europa League by Sevilla.
Mancini knows a season in which Serie A acquitted itself well – Fiorentina were in the Europa Conference League final, and Napoli admired domestic champions – needs a national team heading in an upward direction.
Italy, who will next summer defend their European championship title, failed to reach the 2022 World Cup, a second successive absence from international football’s greatest showpiece. And contests with Spain tend to act as a barometer of the Azzurri’s state of health.
Jordi Alba, who by dint of seniority will captain the Spaniards on Thursday, was part of the Spain side who beat Italy to win the Euro 2012 final. Mancini’s Italians defeated Spain on penalties in the semi-finals of Euro 2020; they then lost to Spain in the semi of the last Nations League finals, won by France.
On the other side, a new Spain era takes shape. Sergio Busquets, Spain’s previous skipper, has retired from national duty and the central midfield berth he filled for well over a decade is earmarked for Rodri, 26, whose high-achieving year has followed a curious path.
At the World Cup in Qatar, he was deployed at centre-back by his country, usually in partnership with Laporte. At City, he was meanwhile being encouraged to take up positions higher up the pitch than his anchor role had previously defined for him, thanks partly to City manager Pep Guardiola’s using John Stones as a hybrid defender-cum-midfielder.
Key Rodri goals were part of the dividend: against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last-eight and in the historic final. The new Spain head coach, Luis de la Fuente, who took over from Luis Enrique after the World Cup, likes that aspect of Rodri’s game and has so far rejected the idea of using him in the centre of defence.
He wants Spain to benefit from his soaring confidence. “He could not be more motivated,” De la Fuente said of Rodri. “Our City players have arrived here with exceptional motivation. They’ve just made history.”
Would Rodri and Laporte be sufficiently fresh, after the drawn-out celebrations of the treble, to play against Italy? “They’re responsible professionals. I’m certain they will be ready if needed.”
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
UAE'S%20YOUNG%20GUNS
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MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
More from UAE Human Development Report:
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
Tenet
Director: Christopher Nolan
Stars: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh
Rating: 5/5
more from Janine di Giovanni
The%20specs
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)
British & Irish Lions
Tries: Faletau, Murray
Penalties: Farrell (4)
Conversions: Farrell
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
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