At a stage in Real Madrid’s season when the spotlight is rarely focusing on Rodrygo, but the Brazilian reminded everyone of his capabilities with a brace to beat Athletic Bilbao and restore his side’s eight-point lead at the top of La Liga.
Madrid fans attended the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday evening eager to welcome Jude Bellingham back from suspension — three weeks without the Englishman has been an eternity for the fans.
But it was Rodrygo who was the team’s most impressive performer. He contributed two goals that also served as a warning: now that spring is beginning, now that the decisive time of the season is here, he is there to contribute just as much as anyone else, and possibly even more.
Domingo de Páscoa! Doblete e vitória! Dia especial…⚽️💜 Feliz Páscoa a todos 🤍🙌🏾 “E ao terceiro dia, ELE ressuscitou! O túmulo está VAZIO! Porque ELE VIVE…” 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/AJrclQK7Wm
— Rodrygo Goes (@RodrygoGoes) March 31, 2024
Plenty have already written off Rodrygo, expecting him to be the player sacrificed for Kylian Mbappe this summer, to which he responded with deeds and words.
“I only think about being focused and finishing the season with the maximum number of titles,” Rodrygo said after the game when asked about the arrival of the Frenchman. “Next year (if he comes), it will be a problem, a good problem, for the coach. I’m calm.”
The international break, so treacherous on other occasions, has revitalised the striker. In Brazil’s victory at Wembley against England, Rodrygo was a standout performer.
A few days later at the Santiago Bernabeu, as Brazil drew 3-3 with Spain, Rodrygo scored to break a 45-day run without success or luck. The stadium did not react as if it was a Spain goal, but there were plenty of happy non-Brazilian fans.
“He will repeat on Sunday for sure!” a person very close to Rodrygo told The Athletic at the time.
And Rodrygo was quick to prove him right. Specifically, on seven minutes and seven seconds, which delayed the traditional “Illa, Illa, Illa, Illa, Juanito Maravilla!”, a chant that is never missing in the eighth minute at the Santiago Bernabeu in honour of the tragically deceased legend Juan ‘Juanito’ Gomez.
Rodrygo lived up to his ‘El Rayo’ nickname: he received the ball from Brahim Diaz, drove at great speed, dodged opponents and lashed the ball home from the edge of the area. He almost didn’t even get to celebrate, because his team-mates surrounded him so quickly to offer affection. In the dressing room, they are aware that it has not been an easy season for Rodrygo, but at Real’s Valdebebas HQ, coaches and team-mates highlight his ability to work hard in training sessions at the Ciudad Deportiva and at home.
Rodrygo celebrates against Athletic on Sunday (Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
As soon as Rodrygo emerged from the congratulatory huddle, he showed his personal quality by running to the technical area to hug Jaime Salom, a physiotherapist who had lost a very close family member a few days earlier.
Rodrygo loves Real Madrid… and Madrid fans, despite some criticism, love him too. That’s why the chants of “Rodrygol, Rodrygol, Rodrygol, Rodrygol…!” were heard again.
🤳 @RodrygoGoes: “Hello #Madridistas! I’m very happy for the win and the two goals! Hala Madrid!”#RealMadridAthletic pic.twitter.com/Yh4XHyKrH2
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 31, 2024
Rodrygo’s goal ended a run of 465 minutes in seven La Liga and Champions League games without scoring, having hit 15 shots (nine on target) along the way.
“There are very isolated cases of strikers who always score,” Carlo Ancelotti said. “Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema… with experience, Rodrygo is going to improve in this aspect.”
The expected goal (xG) value of his shot was only 0.058 (meaning the average forward would be expected to put away that chance 5.8 per cent of the time) but Rodrygo is more art than mathematics and he is invariably confident of mastering almost any type of shot. His record from distance is decent too, with only two La Liga players scoring more from outside the box in all competitions since the start of the 2022-23 season.
5 – LaLiga players with the most goals from outside the box from last season across all competitions:
🇫🇷 Antoine Griezmann – 6
🇺🇾 Federico Valverde – 6
🇪🇸 Brais Méndez – 5
🇧🇷 Vinícius Júnior – 5
🇧🇷 RODRYGO GOES – 5Confidence. pic.twitter.com/uMlGQr4nDc
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 31, 2024
The minutes passed and while Real Madrid were not suffering particularly, neither were they as comfortable as they would have liked. It was seen in a gesture from full-back Dani Carvajal, who gave urgent instructions to Rodrygo and Brahim during an injury stoppage.
But the second half contained another moment of joy for Rodrygo, who was very active after half-time. He set up Brahim, who hit the post; he also looked to have won a penalty that was not given, which was met with bemused anger from the Madrid bench.
Then, in the 74th minute, he took Bellingham’s pass in his stride, cut inside an Athletic defender and finished cooly to seal the game.
He went to the touchline, drank some water and thanked Carlo and Davide Ancelotti.
“He played very well, he made the difference,” his manager said after the game. “People say he’s better on the left, but he’s good everywhere. Let’s not forget that he scored two goals on the right in a Champions League semi-final.”
Ancelotti has never lost faith in Rodrygo. He is the player Ancelotti has given the third most minutes (2,935) to this season, with Rodrygo contributing 15 goals and eight assists, and being third in the squad in both statistics.
When he was substituted in the 81st minute, Rodrygo left the field to an appreciative ovation from the Bernabeu.
On April 9, against Manchester City in the Champions League, it is a stadium that is set to be decked out in all white from its Fondo Sur, where the Grada Fans supporters group is located.
“¡El 9 todos de blanco!”@TheAthleticFC https://t.co/M5YyHxriwu pic.twitter.com/3j0U4b1XIG
— Mario Cortegana (@MarioCortegana) March 31, 2024
“It would be nice,” said Rodrygo after the game.
Earlier, he had entered the pitch waving towards the box where his family and friends watch matches. He then turned to his friend and team-mate Eder Militao, who made a symbolic reappearance in stoppage time after overcoming the serious knee injury he picked up in August. After hugging his compatriot, he spent a few seconds chatting with Luis Llopis, the goalkeeping coach.
El Rayo then went inside, attended to the media, had a quick shower and returned home to watch former club Santos beat Palmeiras 1-0 on TV.
This is Rodrygo, a football lover who wants and expects to be talked about a lot in the coming months. And Manchester City know very well what he’s capable of.
(Top photo: Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
