“2-0 down and they weren’t worried,” Ballon d’Or front-runner Rodri recalls BOLD Real Madrid moment as Los Blancos destroyed Liverpool in Champions League
Manchester City star Rodri recalled Real Madrid's mentality during the 2022-23 UCL round-16 clash against Liverpool, which ended in 5-2.
Rodri praised Real Madrid's mentality, referring to their match against Liverpool in 2023. (via X)
Euro 2024 winner and Manchester City star Rodri recalled Real Madrid’s mentality during the 2022-23 UCL round-16 clash against Liverpool at the Anfield. The match has ended in a 5-2 win for the Los Blanocs, who made a brilliant comeback from 2-0 down.
Real Madrid’s matches against Liverpool have been a spectacle to watch over the past few seasons. The two sides are set to clash this season in the UCL league stages, after the last meeting in a round of 16 encounter during the 2022-23 season. The Los Blancos won 6-2 on aggregate, with the first leg ending with a scoreline of 5-2. The Reds had gone 2-0 up in just 15 minutes into the game, but the visitors staged a comeback through goals from Vinicius Jr., Eder Militao and Karim Benzema.
While referring to the match in a recent BBC interview with ex-England goalkeeper Joe Hart, Manchester City’s Rodri highlighted Madrid’s winning mentality during the match, despite the Anfield atmosphere and their opponents taking an early lead.
He pointed out to the faces of the Los Blancos stars, which lacked any form of worry. The 28-year-old defensive midfielder explained the importance of remaining calm and composed, in order to help a team overcome tough challenges.
I remember Real Madrid, they went against Liverpool, they were 2-0 down, and I saw their faces…I was like, these guys are not worried. This calm gives you experience.Manchester City star Rodri on Real Madrid (via BBC Sport)
🗣️ Rodri: “I remember Real Madrid, they went against Liverpool, they were 2-0 down, and I saw their faces… I was like: ‘These guys are not worried…’.
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) September 5, 2024
I said to the lads: ‘Guys are you seeing their faces?…’ They [Real Madrid players] were like ‘We will overcome this situation,… pic.twitter.com/ZxZdJXO7B2
These comments, however, come amid persistent rumors of Real Madrid’s reported interest in signing the 28-year-old midfielder, next summer. While on BBC, Rodri also spoke about the 2024 Ballon d’Or award chances and Manchester City’s season ahead.
Rodri among ten Premier League stars on Ballon d’Or nominees list, is also one of the front-runners
The recently revealed list of nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or features a number of players, many of them playing in the Premier League. Among them, Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri is one of the front-runners to receive the coveted individual award.
He ended the season with two major trophies under his belt, which include the EPL title and the 2024 Euro. He made 50 appearances for City last season, recording 23 goal contributions in all competitions. His participation with Spain in the 2024 Euros, becoming an important player in their title-winning squad is pushing him further up the list.
They're all here!
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) September 4, 2024
But… who should win it? #ballondor pic.twitter.com/SrkHBrJtuI
Rodri is also joined by fellow Man City stars Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Ruben Dias in the 30-man list. Arsenal, with Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, William Saliba and Bukayo Saka, make up the other EPL side with four nominations.
In case you missed:
Siddhartha Roy
(385 Articles Published)