Real Madrid: 3 predictions for El Derbi on Sunday

Rodrygo Goes will score

At the risk of lofting too many expectations onto the shoulders of a 20-year-old winger preparing to make his first start since suffering a multi-week injury, I believe Rodrygo Goes will find the back of the net for the first time in La Liga this season.

Rodrygo scored an important, game-winning goal in the Champions League group stages against Inter Milan, with the assist coming from fellow young winger Vinicius Junior. Although he didn’t score on Monday night at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in the 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad, his presence off the bench helped Los Merengues immensely.

The young man is a phenom, and as we have seen over the course of his first two Champions League campaigns, Rodrygo has shown that he has the ability to elevate himself in the biggest matches. And that’s a great sign for a prospect playing for this elite club.

Rodrygo has a matchup ripe for the taking offensively, and he is a nightmare for defenders when he gets going. If he starts on the left side of the attack, Atletico Madrid may have a huge problem on their hands. Los Blancos need someone to add goals, especially if Karim Benzema cannot play this weekend, and Rodrygo has breakout potential as a scorer.