Rodrygo, the last in Real Madrid, but still wants to fight for position

The Brazilian sees how Güler, Brahim, Gonzalo, and Mastantuono are getting ahead of him as the market enters its final stretch and the suitors, without deciding to go for him.

Xabi Alonso's new Real Madrid isn't all that new. In the first competitive match of the season, the flaws from last season were evident: lack of depth, a lack of imagination in attack, and too many untargeted crosses. He did improve on some things, such as defensive solidity and off-the-ball work. But all of this was done with the same 4-3-3 Ancelotti lived and died with, albeit with one difference: Rodrygo is no longer in the mix.

When Xabi took over, the comment was recurrent: Madrid will probably switch to playing with two forwards, and the Brazilian will be the one who suffers. It didn't start that way at the World Cup, but then that theory was established, and Rodrygo was indeed omitted from the starting lineup. Preseason has been short and has allowed us to see little, but the match against Osasuna is already the highlight of the competitive season, and that doesn't lie: even playing with three forwards doesn't mean Rodrygo is in the Toulouse native's plans.

So much so that against Madrid, Rodrygo was outplayed on four occasions. Two of them were in the starting lineup: Güler, with his move to midfield, has established himself in the starting lineup and appears set to remain there, at least until Bellingham returns, when it will be up to Xabi to decide whether the Turkish player is important enough to change the formation; and Brahim, the current starting right winger, was in Innsbruck against Tirol, a dress rehearsal for the La Liga opener, and also against Osasuna.

Two significant blows, but understandable in the end. Rodrygo knows he won't have it easy with Xabi, although his intention, as AS has already reported, is to stay at Madrid and fight for playing time. Although perhaps what happened in the second half could change his mind: Xabi Alonso made two changes to the attack to bring on Brahim and Vinicius, and in neither case was the former Santos player chosen to come on.

One of those chosen was Gonzalo, who earned a place in the squad and in Xabi's mind at the World Cup thanks to his four goals. He came on for Vinicius to move up front and send Mbappé to the left, which also means that Xabi doesn't see Rodrygo as his compatriot's first replacement, something Ancelotti did tend to consider and something Rodry took advantage of by playing in his preferred position, the one in which he has put in considerable performances in the past.

And the other offensive change was the final blow: Franco Mastantuono. Because the Bernabéu was thirsty for the Argentine, and Rodrygo knows this too, but there's a hidden message in the fact that an 18-year-old newcomer who has completed four training sessions (four, in fact) is taking minutes away from a player who has completed a full preseason, is rooted in a club, and has achieved milestones, like those two goals against City that ended up winning a Champions League title. The Brazilian's face on the touchline as he warmed up, knowing he wasn't going to come on, was a picture of wonder; he was also on the bench during extra time, chewing on a plastic cork, for lack of anything better to put in his mouth.

“Nothing's happening with Rodrygo...”

And all this, with the transfer market entering the final stretch. Rodrygo, we repeat, insists he wants to stay, and if that stance continues, there's no point. The only thing left for him to do is roll up his sleeves and try to convince Xabi Alonso that he deserves more. The Tolosa native, meanwhile, was vague in his press conference: “Nothing's happening with Rodrygo. The World Cup was a different context, because of the competition. We can put that behind us. Today was just a game; what counts is this season, and I'm counting on Rodrygo. We shouldn't read too far into the future. If he gets those minutes in three months, I'll be able to answer with more certainty. Today was due to match circumstances and my decision.”