Real Madrid: 5 burning questions from the draw with Real Sociedad

Are Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes must-starts?

Before I go into the analysis, I might as well cut the false pretense of suspense and simply answer “yes” to this question. Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes are the best wingers in the Real Madrid lineup right now, and they need to be starting every game. The only thing that changes this statement is a 100 percent Eden Hazard starting on the left OR Dani Carvajal returning and then Lucas Vazquez starting on the right with Rodrygo moving to the left.

But even in the latter case, I’m not sure Vazquez offers more than Vinicius. The 20-year-old has been in good form since the start of February, starting consecutive games and offering a lot more attacking threat than any of his teammates up front. Yeah, the competition from his teammates is laughable, but Vini is deserving of praise, especially after coming through in the clutch against a very good Real Sociedad side.

Rodrygo didn’t score the winning goal, but he had more of an impact overall in terms of the quality and decisiveness he immediately brought to the Real Madrid attack. Rust following his injury in the match against Granada? No rust was visible on the engine of Rodrygo, whose return was met with adulation and gratitude from Madridistas.

This young man is a special player who will become one of the world’s best. He is going to be the most important winger on Real Madrid for the remainder of the 2020-2021 season, and I add this because that simple “yes” in the first paragraph does not do justice to the player Rodrygo is.