Rodrygo asks for passage in Nervión

Rodrygo Goes is happy in Seville. Twelve months ago, the Brazilian was vital in Real Madrid's comeback at the Sánchez Pizjuán to consolidate the leadership of LaLiga. And this Saturday, the former Santos invented two goals to overcome Rafa Mir's initial and take a victory for Nervión. There are already 19 goals and 11 assists this season, that of his theoretical explosion.

Madrid landed in the Seville capital with the need to improve the image of recent weeks, with the league defeats against Girona, Real Sociedad and Valencia as the main debts of a team that is only playing for the honor of second place. Aware of professional needs, Carlo Ancelotti brought out the best he had in his closet against Sevilla. Without Benzema or Vinicius, the Italian handed over his lineup to the midfielders, with Rodrygo as the spark. Tchouaméni, Kroos, Modric, Ceballos and Valverde populated a pitch in which Madrid dominated without a tooth.

Mendilibar, thinking more about the Europa League final against Roma, rotated his squad and left En-Nesyri and Ocampos on the bench. He sought to bite in the pressure and run against it, and he succeeded. Barely breathing, Mir put the locals ahead in minute 3, taking advantage of several rebounds in the Madrid area. Acuña beat Lucas Vázquez too easily and found Bryan Gil. The former Tottenham player fired, but his shot found Militao. The ball fell at the feet of Mir who first and with the interior he sent the ball to Courtois's right corner.

The goal established Sevilla's idea and reflected Madrid's lack of depth, which took possession but found neither the bands nor the spaces in three quarters of the rival field. He touched, touched and touched, but without danger. Opposite, Sevilla bit with Gil, Lamela and Papu, generous in their effort and eager for minutes in the final next Wednesday. In the middle, the youth player Bueno exhibited himself before the talent and experience of Madrid.

Without gaps, Madrid only had individual genius left, and that's where Rodrygo appeared. In the 28th minute, the Brazilian made a free kick on the edge of the area his own and surprised Bono by shooting at the same post as the goalkeeper, who was expecting a shot over the wall.

The tie did not change the sign of the party, wrapped up in the midfield war. Sevilla was able to take the lead again with two arreones from the Argentines Acuña, Montiel and Lamela, but the forward was not successful against Courtois. First he sent a volley to the left post of the Belgian and then he sent the ball up two meters from the goal line. Those of Mendilibar seemed to want the game more.

After the break, the whites found oxygen at the entrance of Camavinga and Álvaro Rodríguez in place of Valverde, injured, and Mendy, who still hasn't played for 90 minutes. The Frenchman took over the left side and the Uruguayan was positioned as the reference '9', freeing up a Rodrygo who enjoys when he can move wherever he wants.

The Brazilian began to appear on the left and behind the striker and Madrid improved. In a counter, Kroos envisioned a remote-controlled pass to Rodrygo's career, who planted himself in the area, made Montiel dizzy with an unpredictable zigzag and calmly defined on Bono's left. A marvel to decide the clash of Nervión. It was his 19th goal of the course, the 9th in the League, where he is only one behind Vinicius. He already has more goals this year than in his first three seasons at Madrid (7, 2 and 9).

The final stretch focused more on mud than on football, with untimely and dangerous tackles, like the one that caused Acuña to be sent off. The Argentine entered with the plate to Ceballos's ankle and saw the direct red card while Pizjuán took it with the former Betis. A heated entry from Jordan to Ceballos himself was the threat of another brawl, but the duel ended without further incident. Madrid sits in second place and only has 90 minutes left against Athletic to finish this irregular League.