Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso breaks silence on why he did not give chance to Rodrygo vs Pachuca amid transfer rumours linking him with exit

Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has confirmed that Brazilian attacker Rodrygo is still a key player for the La Liga giants. The 24-year-old, who provided the assist for Madrid's only goal against Al-Hilal, did not play during Los Blancos' 3-1 victory over Pachuca on Sunday, June 22.

Instead, Federico Valverde started the game in the front three on the right wing, along with Gonzalo Garcia and Vinicius Jr in the middle and left flank, respectively. Before Los Blancos' last group stage game against RB Salzburg, the former Bayer Leverkusen boss was questioned on the absence of Rodrygo.

Xabi Alonso stated that the 24-year-old missed the game due to technical issues; however, he remains a key player for the Spanish side. He said in a press conference (via Madrid Xtra on X):

"Rodrygo? I see him in good shape, eager. What happened the other day was a technical decision. He's still important, and we'll need him at the Club World Cup. He's a special player and will play a key role."

Nevertheless, the Brazilian attacker is still linked with Premier League sides such as Manchester City and Arsenal. Rodrygo joined Los Blancos in July 2019 from Santos, and since then, he has played 268 games for the senior team, bagging 68 goals and providing 51 assists across all competitions.

Xabi Alonso talks about Real Madrid midfielders' absence after surgery

Xabi Alonso has claimed that English midfielder Jude Bellingham is important for Real Madrid in terms of creativity and clinical finishing. As a result, he wants Bellingham to recover from his shoulder injury and return stronger.

Former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is set to undergo surgery for the shoulder injury he suffered in November 2023, during his debut season at Real Madrid. However, keen not to miss football for the club and country, Bellingham decided to continue playing amid the injury.

However, the 21-year-old is ready to undergo shoulder surgery after the FIFA Club World Cup concludes. Alonso said about Bellingham's absence after surgery (via Managing Madrid):

"He's key for us. I think he'll help us in terms of creativity, but he also has that clinical finishing touch. We want him to get better and better."

Next up, the La Liga giants will face RB Salzburg in their last group stage game on Thursday, June 26.

About the author

Shashank is a journalist at Sportskeeda covering European football since the past 2 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has also played the sport as a box-to-box midfielder and a full-back at national level, along with Tennis, Taekwondo and Boxing.

Shashank has been a Liverpool supporter since 2014 and had first stumbled upon the club after receiving a gift which had the words 'Liverpool FC' written on it. He has idolised Steven Gerrard over the years but his favorite football memory is the Reds' incredible comeback 4-0 win over Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semis. He, unsurprisingly, also loves Jurgen Klopp's managerial style.

He strives to report 100% accurate content by going through several social media platforms, and prides himself on his above-average vocabulary and researching skills. In his career so far, Shashank has had the privilege of interviewing Indian national football team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Shashank also follows the Indian Super League and the Eredivisie along with European Football. In his off time, he likes to do theatre, watch Tennis, and travel.

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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer