Real Madrid: Oscar Rodriguez was the season’s uncovered gem

Real Madrid received spellbinding performances from loanees Achraf Hakimi and Martin Odegaard in 2019-2020, but don’t overlook Oscar Rodriguez’s breakout year either.

In Isco, Martin Odegaard, Takefusa Kubo, Marco Asensio, Luka Modric, and Toni Kroos, the Real Madrid and loan army midfield will be teeming with creative and technical quality. Odegaard and Isco are the biggest names to watch, but amidst all the quality, Oscar Rodriguez has become a hidden gem unearthed in the 2019-2020 season.

Oscar started his loan at Leganes with little expectations, but by the end of the season, he was undoubtedly the team’s best player. The 21-year-old led Leganes with seven goals, scoring one more than Martin Braithwaite in fewer minutes. Braithwaite would later play a starring role alongside Lionel Messi as Luis Suarez‘s striker replacement at FC Barcelona.

Most of those seven goals were scored from beyond the box, with only Messi being more lethal from range than Oscar. The Spanish attacking midfielder, who can also play wide like Asensio, was wonderful at times. He still needs to work on his consistency, but Oscar is a wondergoal just waiting to happen.

It’s impressive that Oscar produced nine goal contributions on a team that was in the relegation zone for most of the 2019-2020 season. Leganes were in 19th place with the second-worst goal differential in the league behind last place Espanyol. Their struggles were due to a woeful attack, which got even worse when Braithwaite was stolen by La Blaugrana.

So Oscar’s seven goals of the team’s total 21 become even more praiseworthy under that lens. He had a lot to do for most of those goals, asserting himself as a real threat on direct free kicks. Based on his displays at Leganes, it’s fair to wonder what he could do at a club with much better surrounding attacking talent, which is the same point raised about even more promising teenage attacking midfielder Takefusa Kubo at Mallorca.

According to WhoScored.com, Oscar averaged less than one key pass per game but was good for 1.4 dribbles per game and 1.2 fouls drawn per game. He wasn’t much of a creative player and had a passing accuracy percentage in the low 70’s, but that may have also been due to the pieces around him. But Oscar was dynamic on the ball and had a real eye for goal, scoring most of his goals from center midfield. He also had a brace in his lone appearance as a center forward.

It will be exciting to see how Oscar plays in 2020-2021. He blossomed last season after his loan at Leganes was extended, but it may be time for him to take on a greater challenge. It’s hard to see Oscar having a future in Real Madrid due to all the talent in the attacking midfield, but he could be a hidden gem for another team to purchase. And if he lands in the right spot, perhaps Oscar will get to show more chance creation ability than he did in 2019-2020.