Rodrygo (22 years old) wants more. The new ’11’ from Madrid is already here. The Brazilian international has returned like a bull from his holidayswith a conscientious physical preparation, carried out by his coach, Marcel Duarte, to demonstrate from day one that he is not going to settle for his great jump from last season, and regardless of the arrival or not of Mbappé at the capital of Spain, sees itself capable of be one of those responsible to make forget the unexpected departure of Karim Benzema towards Saudi football. In the debut against Milan, he showed it, despite coming off the bench and playing the second 45 minutes: he intervened in 24 plays, created two chances (like Bellingham and Modric, the three most), attempted three crosses into the area, completed two dribbles, made 14 passes, being half (seven) in the last third of the rival field and came close to the whites’ first goal after making a brilliant play. In addition, he gave the pass to Valverde in the first Real Madrid goal…
His progression to this day is evident. After scoring seven, two and nine goals in his first three seasons as a Real Madrid player, in his fourth year at Chamartín he has exceeded expectations. His 19 goals and 11 assists, together with the notable increase in minutes, have made him go from being one of the great promises of the squad to one of its best and brightest realities. Not surprisingly, the Brazilian was one of the most acclaimed players when the team arrived in Los Angeles. He now faces his fifth year with a clear goal: establish himself in the starting eleven and continue to increase those shiny statistics. On the horizon, breaking the 20-goal barrier, the one that his compatriot Vinicius has already knocked down with his 23 goals in the 2022-23 season.
A player who has a star aura and personality to spare, and who He is used to showing his face at important moments, such as that memorable comeback against City or his double in the Cup final against Osasuna. Before the Lombard squad, far from noticing his recent addition to the white preseason, he has left a remarkable image. He was seen active from the first play, with ease to associate and break lines through that agility so characteristic of his as striking at this point in preseasonwhen most footballers are still far from their best level.
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Author of the first assistance to Valverde, he lacked the icing on the goal to round off his participation, with that shot from outside after a spectacular individual play that showed all the qualities of the carioca. Imagination, imbalance and constant overflow of a footballer who, together with his finishing facet, He is called to form a duo with Vinicius in that novel 4-4-2 of Ancelotti. His ability to see door, along with His versatility to adapt to the different positions and demands that the Italian coach demands of him, make him a sure value in the Real Madrid attack. And it is that either as ’11’ or as ‘9’, Rodrygo’s season points to be decisive for a Madrid that aspires to everything…