“I have always made it clear that I have the ability to play on the wings, I just don’t like playing as a 9, even though at my club I have to do it. Here, in the national team, I can move all over the pitch, which has helped my game”. Rodrygo Goes’ comments during the Brazilian national team training did not go unnoticed in Madrid. Quite the contrary. They quickly made the headlines and were interpreted as eloquent testimony to the malaise from which the Brazilian had suffered since the start of the season.
It must be said that after the departure of Karim Benzema this summer, Real Madrid made a strong bet: rather than recruiting a real top striker to replace the Frenchman, the Merengues chose to entrust the keys to the truck to the Vinicius duo. Junior – Rodrygo Goes. Two side players who thus share the forefront of the attack in this 4-4-2 diamond of Carlo Ancelotti, in which they play in front of Jude Bellingham. Although Vinicius took a little time to adapt, we can now say that he is performing well.
From worry
Rodrygo has a little more trouble. In 9 La Liga matches, he has only scored one small goal, and has not managed to shake the net in two days of the Champions League either. Beyond the statistical aspect, he often displays difficulties in positioning himself in this new role. The statistics used by Marca placed him below the average of La Liga attackers in several areas such as creating chances. A situation which pushes certain media to already consider a departure of the player, considered the least essential among all the nuggets that Casa Blanca has in its workforce. OKDiario notably evokes the interests of English clubs, while other media explained that the Canarinha player could be sacrificed to welcome Mbappé.
What is certain, apart from the speculations and rumors, is that this situation worries the Madrilenians. Already on an individual level, since Rodrygo is a very appreciated player, but also for Real Madrid, who need him at the best level to hope to go far, in the Champions League in particular, with a very small offensive sector. Rodrygo regularly makes the headlines in pro-Madrid sports newspapers, just as he is often at the heart of debates on television or radio. Carlo Ancelotti, and Rodrygo of course, will have to find a solution.
