La Liga: Rodrygo Guides Real Madrid To Victory At Sevilla

Rodrygo Goes' clinical performance guided Real Madrid to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Sevilla on Saturday in the absence of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Jr at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

The young Brazilian forward showcased his talent by scoring both of Madrid's goals, securing a vital win that extended their lead over rivals Atletico Madrid to four points in the league standings.

Real Madrid faced the match without the services of injured attackers Vinicius Junior, Karim Benzema, and Marco Asensio. The absence of Vinicius Junior, who recently suffered racial abuse from Valencia fans, drew global attention and support. However, it was Rodrygo who rose to the occasion as Madrid's only fit regular starting forward.

Sevilla, who have an upcoming Europa League final against Roma on Wednesday, made several changes to their lineup as coach Jose Luis Mendilibar rotated his usual starting players. Rafa Mir capitalized on an early opportunity, giving the home side the lead in the third minute with a powerful strike into the roof of the net after Bryan Gil's initial shot was blocked.

Despite an initially missed chance, Rodrygo quickly made amends by equalizing for Real Madrid. The Brazilian talent expertly curled a free-kick around the defensive wall and into the bottom corner, leaving goalkeeper Yassine Bounou with no chance. The goal not only brought Madrid back on level terms but also showcased Rodrygo's precision and skill in dead-ball situations.

In the second half, Rafa Mir threatened once again with a near-miss that flew just over the crossbar. However, it was Rodrygo who proved to be the difference-maker once more.

Assisted by Toni Kroos, the Brazilian forward demonstrated his dribbling prowess by leaving Sevilla defender Gonzalo Montiel bewildered with his quick footwork. Rodrygo calmly slotted the ball past Bounou to secure his second goal of the match and Madrid's lead.

Speaking after the match, Rodrygo expressed his satisfaction with his performance, stating, "It's hard to choose. They were both nice goals, maybe the second a little bit more, but scoring from a free-kick is always special. We always practice them, and I took the ball with confidence."

Ancelotti praised Rodrygo's adaptability and impact in the centre-forward position, saying, "Rodrygo stood out as the centre-forward, he can play there. He's got different characteristics, but with his dribbles around the box, it's easier to score there than doing it out wide."