Real Madrid News
Modric asked Rodrygo to take Real Madrid’s penalty vs Celta Vigo – report
Real Madrid extended their dominant win streak in La Liga, securing a victory against Celta Vigo after already beating Athletic Club and Almeria prior to this.
Jude Bellingham’s late strike ensured the three points remained in Madrid’s custody, but the win was not easy to come by.
In fact, there was a moment of misunderstanding that nearly cost the win that would see them solidified as table toppers.
Rodrygo’s penalty was a misunderstanding
In the 78th minute of the game, with the scores tied, Rodrygo was fouled in the Celta box, and a penalty was awarded to Real Madrid, which the Brazilian ended up missing fatefully.
Now, AS has come out to report that Rodrygo did not selfishly take the penalty on his own accord but was instead trusted by the veteran, Luka Modric.
Ancelotti said in the post-match conference: “I don’t know what happened. I told Valverde that Modric should take the penalty and I don’t know what happened between them. They decided that Rodrygo should take it because I don’t think Valverde was able to tell Modric that he should have taken it.”
Ancelotti, identifying a clear hierarchy between the takers, said he was bothered by the situation but claimed it might have been a misunderstanding, which, as it turns out, was the case.
Modric instructed Rodrygo
Sources close to the Brazilian player state that Rodyrgo never intended to skip the takers or displace Modric.
The crucial factor is that Modric was also close to the ball when Rodrygo stood up. As the Croatian noticed that Rodrygo appeared confident during the conversation, he told the youngster: “You shoot it yourself.”
Rodrygo’s environment remains firm with the stance that the player never once asked the Croatian to hand him the ball.
The pair have always had an amicable relationship, with Modric also consoling his junior in the World Cup quarterfinals when Rodrygo missed the penalty.
Bellingham’s goal ensured that the incident was kept as a footnote, but Rodrygo was miffed that it would have appeared that he made that choice on his own.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
