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This time last year, Rodrygo was an important part of the group of players who came off the bench for Real Madrid on Champions League nights to help the team win the European Cup for a 14th time.
In particular, Rodrygo was vital with two late goals against Manchester City, but he is still a backup now, one year on from that magical night.
“I always want to play and I tell the coach that I have to play, but he tells me to be calm,” the forward said in an interview with Club del Deportista.
“I respect [Carlo Ancelotti], because we have very good players, but I’m there and, when I’m on the pitch I help my team. I want to be a starter.
“Ancelotti is a person with whom I have a very good relationship. He is a great coach and he always helps me a lot.”
Ancelotti has spoken this season about how he thinks Rodrygo‘s ideal position is at No.10, although this doesn’t always exist in the Real Madrid system.
“The truth is that I can play in any position in attack, although, if I had to choose, then I would say my preferred role is that No.10 playmaker one,” the Brazilian added.
Rodrygo reflects on the Manchester City semi-final
As mentioned above, Rodrygo wrote his name into the Real Madrid history books with his performance against Manchester City and those late goals.
“It’s something I can’t explain, a feeling that is like nothing else in football,” he said when asked to look back on that night.
“Those two goals were the most important of my life, and helped us win the Champions League. They are the most beautiful memories I have of football.
“In the game against Manchester City, we realised that, although they are a team that normally keep possession, we saw how the goalkeeper threw long and they played a bit differently.
“The pressure that our fans put on them helped us, and at the end of games we always do very well.”
Rodrygo’s quick-fire test
The youngster also took part in a quick-fire round of questions as part of the Club del Deportista interview.
In it, he revealed that the player he’d want to sign for his team would be Neymar, that his favourite place to spend holiday time is Brazil and that his superstition is to always step onto the pitch with his right foot first.