For Real Madrid so far this season, it's clear their attack is lacking in firepower. Kylian Mbappe has carried most of the goal-scoring responsibility, grabbing eight goals through the first eight games of the season. Other than that, the rest of the attackers have struggled to find the back of the net. Vinicius Junior has just one goal, same for Arda Guler, Carlos Espi has two, and Yan Diomande has yet to score his first goal for Los Blancos.
If Real Madrid hopes to get back on track, they will need some kind of boost in the attack, and they just might be getting that very soon. Rodrygo has returned to training with the ball following his months-long recovery from a torn ACL, and could be back in the team in the next few weeks and months.
This is the good news Real Madrid has been needing. However, his return may not be such a good thing for a few of the attacking players, and with that being said, let's look at the winners and losers when it comes to Rodrygo's return, starting with the losers.
Rodrygo's imminent return could spell danger for some players
Vinicius Junior - loser
The Brazilian has been miles off it so far this season with just one goal through eight games, and his form in front of goal has frankly been shocking, with him failing to put away a number of easy chances that have come at the cost of Real Madrid.
With Vinicius struggling, Jose Mourinho could look to make changes to his attacking line and could realistically bench Vinicius for his compatriot, as Rodrygo could add much more to the team than Vinicius. Rodrygo is also an attacker who is willing to track back and do his defensive work, something the team has desperately been needing from its frontline this season.
Yan Diomande - loser
Despite the Ivorian grabbing his first Real Madrid assist against Elche and starting to make some progress in adapting to the team, he is still failing to make the impact that is expected from a €125 million signing.
Much like with Vinicius Junior, Jose Mourinho could look to try something different on the right-wing, with a returning Rodrygo being the go-to option.
Rodrygo has spent most of his time at the Bernabeu playing on the right, and he would bring a level of experience to the starting lineup that at 19-years-old, Diomande doesn't bring.
Rodrygo knows what it takes to play and start for Real Madrid, so slotting him back into the starting lineup over Diomande, while harsh for the youngster, is what would be best for the team.
Endrick - loser
When it comes to players who will be impacted most by Rodrygo's return, an argument can be made that Endrick could be impacted the most. The Brazilian is already struggling for minutes behind players like Yan Diomande, Carlos Espi, and Brahim Diaz, so adding Rodrygo back into the mix means he falls even further down the pecking order, making game time even harder to come by.
Endrick has played just four minutes for Real Madrid this season, and with his compatriot's return, that number could become even less.
Jose Mourinho - winner
Rodrygo's return gives Jose Mourinho someone reliable he knows he can call on, whether that's coming off the bench or slotting right back into the starting lineup to produce and bring the output that the rest of the attack has been lacking so far this season. Mourinho needs someone he can rely on other than Kylian Mbappe to get the goals this season, and to get a player like Rodrygo back, who knows how to find the back of the net, especially in big games, will be a delight to the manager to help get his team back on track and not fall further behind their rivals in their hunt for silverware.
Kylian Mbappe - winner
The Frenchman is another one of the winners with Rodrygo's return as it will help lift the burden off his shoulders of being the main source of goals, giving him someone he knows he can pass to who will put the chance away so he doesn't have to do it every game, multiple times per game.
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