MU Shorts
Rodri’s World Cup heroics show he is exactly what Real Madrid are missing in midfield
Real Madrid’s midfield has never lacked quality. Between Jude Bellingham, Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and the recent arrival of Bernardo Silva, Jose Mourinho has no shortage of technically gifted players at his disposal.
Yet football is rarely about assembling the biggest collection of stars, something that Real Madrid learned the hard way.
More often, success depends on finding the player who brings structure to everyone else.
That is why Rodri’s name has once again become part of the conversation at the Santiago Bernabeu.
According to recent reports, the Manchester City midfielder has been offered to Real Madrid for a fee in the region of €70 million, with some influential figures inside the club believing the opportunity deserves serious consideration.
Notably, club president Florentino Perez has previously been reluctant to pursue the Spain international because of his age, injury history and contract situation, but his performances during the 2026 FIFA World Cup have reignited the debate.
The question, however, is not whether Real Madrid can sign Rodri.
The real question is whether they need a player like him, and the answer is yes.
Real Madrid’s midfield lacks a true conductor
Over the last few seasons, Real Madrid have built one of Europe’s most dynamic midfields.
655 – Rodri has completed 655 passes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most by a player in a single edition on record since 1966.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2026
Artist. pic.twitter.com/tYDtdHA923
Valverde offers relentless intensity and versatility, Camavinga excels at carrying the ball through pressure, Bellingham can influence games in every phase, while Tchouameni provides physicality and defensive coverage.
Each midfielder brings something different.
What none of them consistently offers, however, is the ability to dictate the rhythm of a match from deep, and Rodri has made that role his own.
Rather than dominating through spectacular dribbles or constant forward runs, the Spain international controls games through positioning, timing and decision-making.
He knows when to slow the tempo, when to accelerate attacks and, perhaps most importantly, when to make the simple pass that keeps his team in control.
Those qualities have been on full display throughout the World Cup. Spain’s midfield has rarely looked rushed, even under intense pressure, because Rodri constantly provides an outlet for his teammates.
To put it in perspective, the Spanish midfielder has completed a whopping 655 passes so far in the tournament, which is now a tournament record in itself.
Even more impressive is the fact that he has had a mammoth 794 touches in the tournament, has won most possessions (34), has made most tackles (22) and has created most open play chances (9).
It is the kind of presence Madrid have lacked since Toni Kroos stepped away from the game.
Rodri would make Real Madrid midfield even better
One of Rodri’s greatest strengths is that he improves the players around him.
Rodri for Spain at the 2026 World Cup:
— Squawka (@Squawka) July 15, 2026
◉ Most touches (794)
◉ Most accurate passes (655)
◉ Most accurate final 1/3 passes (173)
◉ Most duels won (41)
◉ Most possessions won (34)
◉ Most tackles (22)
◉= Most open-play chances created (9)
Golden Ball? 🏆 https://t.co/Hcwn9SH4e3 pic.twitter.com/6EIbQ3HDhO
Instead of forcing teammates to drop deep to help with build-up play, he takes responsibility for progressing possession himself.
That allows more attack-minded players to operate closer to the opposition goal, where they can have a greater impact.
For Madrid, that could fundamentally change the balance of the team.
Valverde would be free to make the powerful forward runs that have become one of his trademarks.
Furthermore, Bellingham could spend more time influencing matches in advanced areas rather than repeatedly dropping into deeper positions to receive possession.
Even Tchouameni and Camavinga would benefit. Both are excellent ball winners and progressive midfielders, but neither naturally dictates possession over 90 minutes in the way Rodri does.
His arrival would not diminish their importance; it would allow each player to focus on what they do best.
In many ways, Rodri would become the link connecting Madrid’s midfield rather than another player competing for the same space.
Real Madrid will lock horns with Elche CF away at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero later tonight in Matchday 6 of the 2026/27 La Liga season.
The Merengues are currently second in the league standings with four wins and one defeat from five games, three points behind Barcelona, who are yet to drop a single point this term, and have looked unstoppable.
Given the situation, Real Madrid know there is no room for slip-up, even though it is still very early in the season.
Jose Mourinho’s men have not been particularly convincing away from home this term, having just about managed to beat RCD Espanyol in their opening match before falling to their only defeat of the campaign against Real Betis.
The hope will be to address that issue and put in a strong performance while collecting all three points heading into the derby against Atletico Madrid later in the week.
Going into the match, Los Blancos have not received any new fitness boosts, with Eder Militao, Rodrygo Goes, and Ferland Mendy still unavailable.
However, there will likely be some rotations with an eye on the derby, and here’s how Mourinho could set his team up against Elche tonight.
Defence
Trent Alexander-Arnold has had to share minutes with summer signing Denzel Dumfries so far this season, but will be hoping to make the right-back spot his own with a convincing performance tonight against Elche.
Meanwhile, on the left, Alvaro Carreras is expected to retain his place after a brilliant display at the weekend against Rayo Vallecano, which would also allow Marc Cucurella to be protected before the derby.
At centre-back, Dean Huijsen is expected to return to the starting lineup, at the expense of Antonio Rudiger, and partner with Ibrahima Konate.
Thibaut Courtois is the undisputed starter in goal for Real Madrid and will continue his search for a second clean sheet this season.
Midfield
While Aurelien Tchouameni has returned from his injury layoff, he is unlikely to be rushed back by Mourinho. As such, the Frenchman is likely to feature off the bench once again tonight at Elche.
Instead, the double pivot pairing of Federico Valverde and Bernardo Silva is expected to take the field once again, with Eduardo Camavinga also having to settle for a spot among the substitutes.
Jude Bellingham has started all of Real Madrid’s matches so far this season and given his form and importance to the team, Mourinho will not rotate him tonight against Elche.
Attack
Yan Diomande made his first start at Real Madrid last weekend against Rayo Vallecano but failed to make the best impression.
Meanwhile, Arda Guler was once again brilliant for Los Blancos after coming on as a substitute, making a strong case for him to be reinstated to the starting XI on the right wing.
As for the left side of the attack, Vinicius Jr. will retain his place, hoping to find his best form after a rather slow start to the campaign.
Kylian Mbappe, who has now scored six goals in La Liga this season, will spearhead the attack, hoping to end his run of seven months without scoring away from home in the league.
