Real Madrid have a new wonderkid at Valdebebas, and it isn’t Endrick Felipe. The Uruguayan teenager made a major impact at the South American under-20 Championships, scoring five goals in seven games, before returning to Madrid. It hasn’t taken him long to make an impression back in Spain either.
Rodriguez was called up by Carlo Ancelotti to replace Karim Benzema in the squad against Osasuna, and made the most of his two minutes plus stoppage time on the pitch. Assisting a goal initially, it was then ruled out for offside, but he would win the ball back again in the closing stages to set up Vinicius Junior for the 2-0 that sealed the game.
He was back in action again the next day, as Castilla took on Linares. Rodriguez only played an hour though, with Raul Gonzalez revealing to Diario AS why.
“We agreed that Alvaro would only play 60 minutes because he has a chance of going to Anfield.”
📹🎯 Álvaro Rodríguez ► 2022/23 so far.
— Real Madrid Fabrica (@FabricaMadrid) February 19, 2023
“We will see what Alvaro’s next steps are, they depend on many circumstances, they (Ancelotti and his staff) have all the information, our mission is to take care of them and assist them at every step.”
The 18-year-old is the first striker from Castilla that Carlo Ancelotti has given a chance to this season, despite often being without Karim Benzema. It has become more than clear that the Italian does not trust Mariano Diaz to come on, and thus Rodriguez has a real shot of earning a place in the squad until the end of the season.
