Rodrygo: “Atletico Surprised Us a Little—They Usually Sit Back in Defense”

Rodrygo made headlines after becoming just the fifth Real Madrid player to score 25 goals in the UEFA Champions League. His milestone strike came in a tense 2-1 victory over cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16, a performance that also earned him the Man of the Match award. With trophy in hand, the Brazilian spoke candidly in the mixed zone.

“I’m thrilled with how I played. The Champions League is a special tournament for me—there’s a feeling that things just tend to go my way in this competition.

It was a tough match. Atletico Madrid surprised us a little. In the derby clashes we’ve had in La Liga, they typically focus on defense—like the game earlier this season when they scored in the first half and then just parked the bus. We were prepared to attack, look for space, and eventually score. But this time, there were stretches where they took control, and it wasn’t as straightforward for us. Still, we kept pushing and ended up winning 2–1. Now we need to make the most of that advantage.”

Asked whether Real Madrid will aim to secure victory again in the second leg, Rodrygo was unequivocal:

“Of course—we always play to win, no matter where the match is. That’ll definitely be our strategy in the return fixture.”

Rodrygo also explained how the team adapted under pressure late in the first half:

“The boss asked us to be more patient on the ball and more compact without it. There were moments when we weren’t fully focused, and Atletico Madrid managed to control the game. So he told us to stick together, lock down the space, and then stay calm in attack—shifting the ball from flank to flank until an opening appeared.”

Speaking about his goal, the Brazilian credited his training-ground connection with Federico Valverde:

“We practice that combination a lot. Fede saw my run, and once I took the ball on, I just cut to the side and shot. It’s something we’ve worked on, and today it paid off.”

When asked to choose between his goal and Brahim Diaz’s strike, Rodrygo grinned:

“They were both fantastic goals. Obviously, I’d pick mine (smiles), but Brahim’s was brilliant too.”