3 Real Madrid players who showed they deserve more respect after PSG win
By Parshva Shah
Rodrygo
Rodrygo needs to be respected after his cameo in the 2nd leg. Not just by those who continuously doubt him, but also by Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti himself. Yes, that’s right.
Rodrygo and Marco Asensio have been the top two candidates for the right wing spot, the only position in the team which doesn’t yet have a permanent solution, although we can say that the latter somewhat managed to nail down a spot on the right due to his goalscoring output.
Asensio started both the legs – in Paris and in Madrid – and he was, quite frankly, disappointing. He didn’t play like someone deserving of a start in such crucial games. That has often been the case with Asensio this season. He’s been very inconsistent.
Rodrygo was substituted in for Asensio in the 57th minute of the 2nd leg. He gave PSG left-back Nuno Mendes a run for his money on multiple occasions, not being afraid to take him on 1v1. He also succeeded in dispossessing PSG players a few times due to his incessant pressing. He doubled up with Dani Carvajal first, and then Lucas Vázquez in defence.
It was Rodrygo who triggered the dispossession of PSG right from their kick-off and threaded a neat through ball to Vini Jr., who couldn’t control the ball. Marquinhos was unsuccessful in clearing the ball as it landed straight at the right boot of Karim Benzema, who, with his first touch off the laces, put the ball into the bottom-right corner to make it 3-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate. Rodrygo was an active threat throughout, and he did more in 38 minutes of being on the pitch than Asensio did in both the 1st and 2nd leg combined.
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Although the 20-year old might not produce as many goals as Asensio does, he is more dynamic, more dangerous, and more capable of producing dangerous moves with much more cruelty and consistency. Ancelotti must make Rodrygo a starter for the rest of the season, because we do know that the Brazilian has got the scoring boots with him. All he needs is just some confidence and consistency in the starting XI to get into the groove.