Rodrigo Hernandez: It wasn't easy to leave Atletico Madrid, I was very happy LaLiga Now starring for Man City

After completing a move to Manchester City in the summer, Rodri has made it clear the decision to leave Atletico Madrid wasn't easy for him.

Diego Simeone got one solid season out of the holding midfielder, however Pep Guardiola had long identified him as the player to replace Fernandinho at the Etihad Stadium, paying the Spaniard's 70 million euro release clause.

"It wasn't an easy decision to leave, because I was very happy with Atletico," Rodri explained in an interview with ESPN.

"I was at home with my family and playing for the team I've always loved, I was also playing well.

"It was difficult, but I thought it was the right time to accept this challenge and now I'm here and very happy to have made that decision."

Manchester United are the historic local rivals to the Blues, though with Liverpool posing the greatest challenge to City's domestic crown, the midfielder isn't really au fait with the Manchester derby.

"I don't know, I'd never been to Manchester before, I don't know how the people here feel the rivalries," he admitted.

"The team to beat now is Liverpool and that has been seen in the last two seasons.

"They are a great team and they have improved in many aspects, they're the best team in both England and Europe."

When asked to compare Guardiola to Diego Simeone, the former Villarreal midfielder was quick to point out their similarities.

"I think they are the same in that they always want to win," he intimated.

"They always want their players to be ready, focused and to never stop, not even for a second.

"They are always pushing and that is the only way to achieve success, of course they have different ways of working and different views of interpreting football.

"That's the good thing about football, you can see it many ways, but if you keep winning then you're a good coach."