Starting Rodrygo Goes over Marco Asensio against PSG is a no-brainer
By Ben Sundock
Do not overcomplicate this, señor Ancelotti.
The manager hellbent on using the same starting XI match after match doesn’t need to make a fuss as to who he selects to start on the right-wing Wednesday night in the decisive second-leg match between Real Madrid and PSG.
Rodrygo Goes should get the nod over Marco Asensio – and Gareth Bale, too, if he is even in the conversation – for a multitude of reasons.
First and foremost, the team’s showing in the first leg. In the French capital, it felt as though Real Madrid was playing a man down with how little Asensio was involved. While Los Blancos could not seem to get or control possession, Asesino was nowhere to be seen helping defensively.
He created little going forward on that side when Real did have possession, and his recent form has shown he may not be the answer in a match where goals are coveted. If we want to see a repeat of that poor performance, starting the same front three will lead to the same result.
Rodrygo does more to help his teammates
Second, Rodrygo is far more trustworthy tracking back to cover on defense, and just watching him play against Real Sociedad over the weekend, he does far more off-the-ball than Marco Asensio. This then allows Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema another creative player to work with and distract the defense.
His stats this season might not show it, but for a match like this where Real Madrid needs at least two goals, adding a creative presence who can get Vini and Benzema involved more regularly seems like the answer.
Not only does the crafty Brazilian trackback to support his fullback, he never lingers on one end or the other quite like the Spaniard, Asensio. Rodrygo runs hard and sticks with the action throughout matches while Marco Asensio can often be spotting slowing down after making a few busting runs.
Finally, I think Asensio has mastered the art of the ‘super substitute.’ Whenever the forward comes on, he immediately makes a big impact on the attack. His energy and pure skill help him tremendously in this role.
However, when watching him play for 60-70 minutes, the tiredness is etched across his face and he doesn’t provide quite the same spark.
Next. Real Madrid vs. PSG Combined XI. dark
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Rodrygo and Marco Asensio have both proven in their Real Madrid careers’ that they can step up when the pressure is on in the Champions League. I have a strong feeling both will make an appearance in this match and make a lasting impact.
It will take a remarkably better performance for Los Blancos at home to flip the result on its head, but the Santiago Bernabeu and this club are built for nights just like this.