Raphinha admits Real Madrid star has surprised him the most

Real Madrid are trying to build a team not just for now but for the future as well. As a result, they have a number of youngsters in their ranks, who seem to be on the verge of becoming first-team regulars at Santiago Bernabeu. On the other hand, Barcelona pretty much built a team for the present in the summer transfer window and we are seeing them reap the short-term benefits of it for sure.

Barcelona are leading the La Liga title race by five points, despite having played a game less than Real Madrid. And when they welcome Cadiz to Camp Nou, they will have the chance to restore their eight-point lead at the top of the table.

One player who Barcelona brought in in the summer is Raphinha. And after a poor start to life in Spain, he has found some form lately and is making a difference for the Catalan giants at the moment.

The Barcelona star seems to have been particularly impressed by one Real Madrid player since his arrival in Spain. As reported by Tribuna, in an interview with Adri Contreras, Raphinha was asked, which player has surprised him the most this season and he said:

"“Rodrygo. I knew he was good but.. watching him play surprised me.”"

Raphinha admits Real Madrid star has surprised him the most

Rodrygo is not quite a starter for Real Madrid. He has played plenty of football this season but when Carlo Ancelotti has his strongest squad available, the Brazilian youngster often finds himself on the bench.

It does not feel like Rodrygo is far away from being a starter though. He has certainly made an impact when he has been on the pitch.

It is not just that he is scoring and assisting, but he is making a difference in the big games. Rodrygo has found the back of the net against the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis and RB Leipzig just this season. He just needs to take that one last step to become a nailed on starter, which he is very much capable of.