Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis had been as soon as once more paired in a knock-out sport within the UEFA Champions League this season, with the 2 sides having confronted off in opposition to each other within the final three seasons as nicely.
Thus, in each of their two most up-to-date UCL-winning runs, the Merengues have needed to recover from the English giants, and the matches in opposition to the Manchester aspect in each the 2021-22 and 2023-24 had been memorable for the Los Blancos followers.
The semi-finals of the 2021-22 UCL marketing campaign had been undoubtedly the extra thrilling of those video games, because the Merengues left it to the final seconds to stage a comeback in regulation time, earlier than successful the sport in additional time.
Within the final season, the 2 groups performed two attracts in each legs of the quarter-final stage, however Actual Madrid emerged victorious within the penalty shoot-out.
In all of those 4 matches, one participant who proved to be essential for the Merengues was the Brazilian star Rodrygo Goes. Within the 2021-22 marketing campaign, his contributions had been nothing in need of heroic, as he scored within the ninetieth and the 91st minute to tie the scores and power the 2 groups to enter additional time, wherein Los Blancos received the sport.
In 2023-24, he once more scored a objective within the first leg of the quarter-finals, earlier than including one other objective to the second leg, wherein he was the one goalscorer for Actual Madrid on the Etihad.
This yr, the 2 sides met within the play-off spherical earlier than the Spherical of 16 as they confronted off in opposition to each other as soon as once more in a newly formatted UCL.
Within the first leg on the Etihad, the Brazilian had a somewhat quiet however efficient night time. He was unable to attain or get an help on this sport, however nonetheless helped his group get an important 2-3 win.
He was far more influential within the second leg, which was performed final night time and received by Actual Madrid with a 3-1 scoreline, as he gave the help for the second objective of the night time.
However, along with this help, , as he was lively in all points of the sport. A sport in opposition to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis was all the time going to be tight, and consequently, statistics present that the winger received solely 59 touches on the ball.
Rodrygo tried 31 passes on the night time, and all of those had been profitable, thus recording a 100% passing accuracy charge. Moreover, he additionally put in 3 key passes, creating 1 large probability, and a pair of of his 4 crosses had been profitable.
He additionally had 2 pictures heading in the right direction however was unable to seek out the again of the web, as one among his pictures was taken somewhat tamely, straight at Ederson. One other of his pictures went off-target. The Brazilian additionally had 2 of his dribbles profitable on the night time.
Equally, he additionally received 9 of the 13 floor duels he was concerned in through the sport final night time and likewise received his only one aerial duel. As Jude Bellingham additionally famous after the sport, his defensive contributions had been additionally essential for Actual Madrid, as he made 1 interception and 4 tackles, with out committing any fouls, and blocked 1 shot.
Thus, with this efficiency, Rodrygo as soon as once more helped his group recover from one other prime group in Europe, one which has grow to be a traditional opponent for the Merengues in recent times. Hopefully, Rodrygo will proceed to place in such performances as Los Blancos proceed their cost in direction of one other UEFA Champions League title.