In the 77th minute of Real Madrid's match at Sevilla, just moments before Dani Carvajal's equaliser and three minutes after the David Alaba own goal that had put the hosts ahead, Carlo Ancelotti had three players ready to enter the game in search of a comeback: Fran Garcia, Brahim Diaz and Joselu.
But then Carvajal's header from Toni Kroos' masterful pass changed the Italian's plans, at least in the short term: the only new player he introduced at that point was Joselu, replacing Rodrygo.
“The equaliser changed the plan,” Ancelotti said. “(The plan) was to keep attacking but with more balance, without risking too much. If we hadn't scored, Brahim and Fran would have come on as well, as they did 10 minutes later.”
Rodrygo's expression as he made his way to the bench was in keeping with the frustrating start to the season he has endured.
Neither he, nor those working behind the scenes at Madrid's Valdebebas training complex, expected it to be this way.
“This year we're going to have fun, with more vertical football, and Rodrygo is going to be a cannon, you'll see!” a coaching staff source, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, told The Athletic during pre-season.
That has not been the case.
Rodrygo left for the dressing room on the final whistle, waving to the travelling fans still showing him affection despite the fact he was 70 days without a goal.
The one-time teenage gem at Brazilian club Santos did start the season with a bang, scoring Madrid's first goal of it 28 minutes into the opening weekend's 2-0 win away to Athletic Bilbao, but since then he has gone 855 minutes without finding the net for the club again in La Liga and the Champions League.
In Seville on Saturday, his first involvement was an errant pass. But he kept on trying, as he always does, and the second involvement was a moment of great control that ended up drawing a foul by Madrid legend Sergio Ramos.
He thought he had an assist to his name, having teed up Jude Bellingham with a nonchalant backheel, only for it to turn out the referee had controversially already blown to stop the game following an Antonio Rudiger challenge that left Lucas Ocampos sprawling on the turf at the other end of the pitch.
Madrid's No 11 had only arrived back from international duty on Thursday, having played the entirety of a World Cup qualifier away to Uruguay in the early hours of Wednesday Spanish time.
Morning training was knocked back to the afternoon so he, countryman Vinicius Junior, Uruguay's Federico Valverde and Rudiger, who had been in the U.S. with Germany, could be present after their long-haul excursions. “There were yawns due to fatigue and jetlag,” the club, annoyed with their demanding schedule, told reporters.
That didn't stop Rodrygo, who did score twice for Brazil last month, having several good opportunities to make a greater impact against Sevilla. There was a chance in the 57th minute thanks to a neat pass from Valverde, and just after that another, set up by Vinicius Jr. But it wasn't his day.
Anyone watching the game could sense his frustration. One moment in the 65th minute summed up the slump he is going through: he tried to dribble past Marcos Acuna, only to find himself physically overpowered by the Argentinian. It's not due to lack of talent, nor due to lack of desire or commitment: he didn't stop running and after Sevilla took the lead, he was the one who dashed to pick the ball and re-start the match quickly.
Ancelotti certainly appreciated his efforts. “For me, he has been one of the best in the team, if not the best,” he said after the match. “He had two or three clear chances, he had good movements, he had more shots than the others… He didn't score, but that's OK.”
The Italian's praise will be especially comforting for Rodrygo at this point, not just because of his goal drought, but also because it comes so soon after the controversy generated by an interview he gave while away on Brazil duty. “I don't like playing as a '9', but at my club I have to,” he was reported to have said.
In Sevilla though, Rodrygo operated more on the left rather than through the middle.
The 22-year-old is aware of his situation and does not hide. That's why Madrid fans were so full of support and praise when, following the match against Osasuna earlier this month, Rodrygo tweeted: “Things don't always work out the way I expect, but there will be no lack of dedication and hard work to help this team!”
The figures prove that dedication and a willingness to keep on going.
He leads Madrid in total shots (34), shots off target (15) and blocked shots (10) in La Liga this season, and his nine shots on target in league play are the third most at the club.
With continued dedication, it might not be too long until Rodrygo and Madrid are having the fun they had hoped for.