Does Rodrygo play today? Where to watch Real Madrid vs Manchester City today in the Champions League By Maria
4 min read
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The Real Madrid confirmed The 24-year-old Brazilian enters the attack alongside Vinícius Júnior and Gonzalo García, replacing Kylian Mbappé, who is on the bench due to a muscle problem. The match pits Real, in sixth place with 12 points, against Manchester City, 12th with 10 points, in a crucial clash for the round of 16.
Coach Xabi Alonso’s lineup adopts 4-3-3, with Thibaut Courtois in goal, Federico Valverde, Raúl Asencio, Antonio Rüdiger and Álvaro Carreras in defense, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Rodrygo, who hasn’t scored in nine months in official games, gets an opportunity amid injuries in the team.
Manchester City, commanded by Pep Guardiola, responds with 4-3-3: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol and Nico O’Reilly bringing up the rear; Bernardo Silva, Nico González and Phil Foden in the middle; and Rayan Cherki, Jérémy Doku and Erling Haaland in attack. It is broadcast on TNT Sports on Espanha and HBO Max on Brasil.
Recent performance of Rodrygo
Rodrygo participated in the last five games of the Real Madrid, with an average rating of 6.8 in the Sofascore. In the 2-0 defeat against Celta Vigo on Sunday, he played for 70 minutes and recorded a rating of 6.7, with no goals or assists.
The player has played three games in Champions League this season, with 106 minutes played and one assist. Sua average of 21.2 minutes per match reflects the competition in attack.
- One goal in eight duels against City, including two in the 2022 semi-final.
- Passing rate with 77.34% accuracy, with five total shot attempts.
- No cards in the competition, but one foul committed on average.
These indicators show versatility, but pressure for submissions.
Alonso praised Rodrygo’s maturity in a pre-match press conference, highlighting his ability to adapt to the right wing.
Injuries force changes in Real Madrid
Real Madrid deals with seven absences, mainly in defense, which propels Rodrygo into the main team. Mbappé, with muscular doubts, opted for preservation, opening up a spot for the Brazilian.
Ferland Mendy (muscle), Dani Carvajal (knee), Éder Militão (thigh), David Alaba (undefined), Trent Alexander-Arnold, recently signed, is also recovering from a muscle injury.
These absences expose the cast, with improvisations like Valverde on the sidelines. Rodrygo, without recent injuries, assumes offensive responsibility.
City has fewer problems, with Rodri (knee) and Mateo Kovačić (undefined) as the main casualties, but John Stones returns.
History of Rodrygo in European classics
Rodrygo has a positive record against Manchester City, having participated in eight clashes in Champions League. Ele scored decisive goals, like the two in the epic comeback of 2022, which sent Real through to the semi-finals.
In the last five duels, the Brazilian accumulated 300 minutes, with two goals and one assist. Real won three of these games, averaging 2.8 goals per game involving their actions.
- In 2025, Rodrygo played 72 minutes in a 3-1 win at Bernabéu, creating two chances.
- Against the English, unbeaten at home for eight games, with Rodrygo starting six.
- Average of 1.2 successful dribbles per match in these clashes.
This retrospective encourages fans, especially with City without winning at the stadium since 2020.
Today’s clash marks the 15th between the teams, with a historic balance of five wins for each side.
Strategy with Rodrygo in attack
Xabi Alonso plans to use Rodrygo on the right wing, exploiting his speed in counterattacks against City’s high defense. The Brazilian must exchange positions with Vinícius to confuse Gvardiol and O’Reilly.
Bellingham advances like a false 9 in moments, freeing up spaces for Rodrygo infiltrations. The formation prioritizes quick transitions, with Tchouaméni marking Haaland.
Guardiola, former mentor of
The tactical focus includes aerial balls for Gonzalo, with Rodrygo dropping back in defense when necessary.
Expectations for Rodrygo in the match
Analysts predict that Rodrygo will complete at least 60 minutes, with a chance of finishing in Bellingham crosses. Sua conversion rate into clear chances is 15% for the season.
Referee Clément Turpin, with an average of 3.38 cards, can influence physical duels involving the Brazilian. Apostas indicate over 2.5 goals in the game, favoring strikers like him.
Real’s victory adds 15 points, boosting Rodrygo in the European top scorer, where he has four total goals.
Fans vote 52% for both to score, with Rodrygo likely to be the first to score.
Streaming and global access
The match is broadcast live on TNT on Espanha, at 8pm local time, and HBO Max on Brasil, with narration in Portuguese. UEFA’s Plataformas offer free streaming for subscribers.
On Reino Unido, TNT Sports covers at 7pm GMT. Aplicativos like Sofascore update statistics from Rodrygo in real time, including heatmaps.
More than 80 thousand fans fill Bernabéu, with tickets sold out since November.
Impact of ownership of Rodrygo
Rodrygo increases the offensive depth of Real, with Endrick and Brahim as options on the bench. Sua input can change the tempo in the second half, especially if City presses.
Against Celta, he created three chances, signaling an upward trend. The game tests your consistency on big European nights.
The merengue squad depends on their creativity to break through the citizen blockade, in a duel that defines the direction of the table.
