In Champions League Round 6, Manchester City defeated Real Madrid 2-1 away from home. Rodrygo scored against Manchester City again, ending his 32-game goal drought with this strike. However, despite Rodrygo's impressive performance, the team ultimately lost 1-2. This article will delve into the reasons behind the Brazilian forward's poor form over a long period of time.
It is no secret that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has long admired Rodrygo. After the match against Real Madrid, Guardiola almost publicly expressed his appreciation for Rodrygo. The Spaniard considers Rodrygo a top player, and everyone who has worked with him agrees: Rodrygo is a genius. Even during his slump, his teammates still actively looked for him in every attack, hoping he could make an impact. Rodrygo's coaches, both Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso, maintained their trust in him despite his failure to score in 32 consecutive games. Since Rodrygo joined Real Madrid in 2019, Florentino Pérez has also firmly supported him. But if Rodrygo's talent is undisputed, why can't he always shine as brightly as he did against Manchester City?
In any case, the root cause of Rodrygo's inconsistent performance lies in his personality traits. Unlike Vinícius Júnior or Jude Bellingham, who are outgoing and sharp, he is an introverted and shy young man. He is often indecisive when faced with choices and struggles to recover quickly from emotional setbacks. This personality was shaped by growing up in an overly protective environment. Rodrygo's father, Eric, currently serves as his agent and has carefully guided every step of his career. Although Eric's motives as a father are for his son's good, he has made wrong decisions more than once. It's like blowing a balloon too big—it could burst at any moment.
Over the past 18 months, what has troubled Rodrygo the most is the lack of affection. He feels marginalized in the team, a feeling that has seriously affected his on-field performance, leaving him in a state of sadness and confusion, and even deliberately staying away from the team's daily activities. However, this year, Rodrygo seems to be gradually regaining his form. Against Manchester City, after months of slump, he once again proved he is a player favored by football. Rodrygo has a deep affection for Real Madrid and hopes to end his career at the Bernabéu. Whenever someone privately asks about his future plans, he always makes this clear. But the question is whether the affection he and his team demand is sufficient, and Guardiola seems willing to give him the long-awaited affection.
In any case, the data proves his excellent performance in this game. He was the player with the most dribbles (three) for Real Madrid, the only one to score, and he was active in tackling, winning back possession six times—something unheard of for a Real Madrid forward recently. He is an all-round forward, the type of player Real Madrid needs to complement Mbappé's goal hunger and Vinícius' exceptional talent.
The Brazilian player may be the key to Alonso leading the team through the crisis at this potential turning point. First, Alonso heeded Rodrygo's request to play as a left winger and was not swayed by internal and external inertia pushing for Rodrygo's transfer. Now he has helped him regain confidence on the right wing. On a big European night against Manchester City, the significance is self-evident—Rodrygo understood Alonso's trust in him. This is how relationships are strengthened in the locker room.
