Along with Brazilian compatriot Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes is the man of the moment in Madrid. The 22-year-old’s brace was the difference between Real Madrid and Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final last Saturday, setting him up well for his favourite competition against Manchester City – the Champions League.
Rodrygo seems to have a special affinity with European nights, and has now scored 16 goals in the competition, despite his young career. It has taken him past the total of 15 that Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario scored for Los Blancos.
“It’s a dream to enter that top nine of top scorers in the history of Real Madrid in the Champions League. I hope I can score many more goals, I want to continue climbing positions in that ranking. It means a lot to me to be able to surpass Ronaldo, who is an idol for me, for Brazil and for our entire generation.”
It is also part of a strange set of statistics that show Rodrygo to be far more effective in cup competitions than in La Liga this season.
Currently Rodrygo has one of the worst conversion rates in La Liga compared to his expected goals figure, with just 6 strikes from an expected 12.84. He has 5 goals from an expected 4.5 in the Champions League, and more goals in Europe than his 13 since arriving in La Liga.
Speaking to Real Madrid’s club media, via Diario AS, he had no answer for why exactly that was, other than the fact the Champions League gives him a different sensation.
“I always get butterflies in my stomach when I play, but playing in the ‘Champions League’ is always more special. For me it was always a dream to play it and I’ve already won it once and I am very grateful for that. It is a competition in which I always feel good playing, good things always happen and I don’t know what is different, what happens to me when I play, but it seems that everything comes off.”
“I go in with the confidence that I am going to score a goal or that I am going to do something that helps the team. It is a very special competition, but I cannot explain what happens to me, which is different from other competitions. I only know that I am very fond of it.”
