Some 29 kilometres separate Villanueva de la Canada, on the western outskirts of Madrid, from the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. That’s only a little more than the distance covered by one of Villanueva’s most talented natives, Rodrigo – ‘Rodri’ – Hernandez, over 180 masterly minutes spread over two nights against Madrid’s most famous sporting institution.
Most of that running involved Real Madrid players chasing, in vain, the shadow of Rodri, the cool, alert governor of Manchester City’s midfield.
As Real, deposed champions of Europe returned yesterday to the capital of Spain, thrashed 4-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at City, it was to a barrage of searching questions.
Among them how a madrilene showing such command during the tie’s first leg, the 1-1 draw in the Bernabeu, had somehow been overlooked by Real, the most glamorous club of his city, throughout his career. “Never on Real’s radar, not as a youth player nor as a senior professional,” noted the Spanish sports newspaper, As. “All very odd.”
El Pais called Rodri’s display, his overshadowing of Real’s two greats in midfield, Luke Modric and Toni Kroos, his authority in his defensive work and his initiative in building City’s relentless attacks, “imperial.” Rodri, El Pais thought, “was the machine that swept the champions aside”.
The winning manager, Pep Guardiola, celebrating City’s emphatic arrival in their second European Cup final within three years, had singled out his Spanish compatriot. “He is so important to us,” said Guardiola. “People talk about Erling Haaland, but without Rodri, we would not be where we are.”
The statistics from Wednesday’s masterclass bore him out: No City player had more touches of the ball than Rodri on an evening when Madrid were asphyxiated by City’s custody of possession. No player in either team issued more passes than Rodri’s 113, 90 per cent of them finding their target. He was involved directly in the build-up to two of City’s goals.
For Rodrygo last season, Rodri this. Guardiola traced back a coming-of-age performance for City – now soaring favourites as they prepare to face Italy’s Inter Milan to, at last, claim the club’s first Champions League title – to events at the Bernabeu in last year’s semi-final.
Manchester City 4 Real Madrid 0: Player ratings
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MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson - 8. He was a spectator in the first half but came up with a big save when Alaba hit a swerving freekick just after the restart. Denied Real's hopes of a late comeback with a double save to deny Benzema and Cabellos in the 83rd minute. EPA -
Kyle Walker - 8. Had the upper hand in the highly anticipated battle with Vinicius on the right flank. Showed excellent pace to get back and make a remarkable recovery tackle with through on goal on the half hour. EPA -
Ruben Dias - 7. Hardly tested in defence and did his part in helping to keep the away side’s attack quiet. Picked up the first yellow card when he stopped Rodrygo from running through on goal after the restart. AP -
Manuel Akanji - 8. His header back across the face of goal was almost turned in by Haaland in the 22nd minute. Almost made it three for City with a shot that Alaba blocked on the stroke of half-time. Had a hand in the third as his glancing header got deflected into the net by Militao. Reuters -
John Stones - 7. Dovetailed nicely alongside Rodri at the base of the City midfield and helped mop up loose balls. Had a pop at goal from over 25 yards out in the 11th minute, but his effort failed to trouble Courtois. Reuters -
Rodri - 8. Superb in the middle of the field and helped the home side control proceedings. His cross-turned-shot flashed across the face of the post in the seventh minute. Reuters -
Bernardo Silva - 9. Opened the scoring with a well-taken left-footed effort from close range in the 23rd minute. Doubled City's lead with a header in the 37th minute. Superb. Reuters -
Kevin De Bruyne - 8. Central to everything positive the home side did in the final third. Created the first goal with a simple pass into the pass of Bernardo Silva that caught the Real defenders off guard. EPA -
Ilkay Gundogan - 7. Not as effective as he was at the weekend, when he scored two goals, but still played well. His saved effort was deflected into the path of Silva to head home. Reuters -
Jack Grealish - 7. Not as effective as Silva on the opposite flank, but played his part by keeping Carvajal pinned back and unable to join the attack. Had Carvajal on toast all game. EPA -
Erling Haaland - 7. Forced Courtois into two good saves. On one occasion, did well to dribble past the goalkeeper but failed to find a blue shirt in the penalty area with his cutback. EPA -
SUBS: Riyad Mahrez (Gundogan 79') - N/A. Involved in the build-up that led to the home side’s fourth goal. Getty -
Phil Foden (De Bruyne 84') - 7. Made his mark on the march by assisting Alvarez to make it four for City. Getty -
Julian Alvarez (Haaland 89') - 7. Rounded up the win with a well-taken effort to make it four in added time. PA -
REAL MADRID RATINGS: Thibaut Courtois - 7. Made a save from point-blank range to deny Haaland in the 13th minute. Provided a breathtaking save to stop Haaland’s header in the soon after. Denied Haaland again when one on one in the 72nd minute. PA -
Dani Carvajal - 4. Had a hard time dealing with the threat of Grealish all game and could have offered more in attack. Reuters -
Eder Militao - 4. Intercepted a cross intended for Haaland in the fourth minute. Unfortunate to turn the ball into his net off an Akanji header in the 76th minute. Getty -
David Alaba - 5. Made a goalline clearance to stop Haaland’s effort in the 13th minute. Almost gave the away side a lifeline with a freekick that forced Ederson into a great save in the second half. Reuters -
Eduardo Camavinga - 3. A terrible match for Camavinga at left-back. He found it tough to deal with the nimble-footed Silva and got caught out of position for both of his goals in the first half. AP -
Federico Valverde - 4. The least effective of Madrid‘s midfielders in the game. He struggled to get involved in the play. Getty -
Toni Kroos - 5. Part of a dysfunctional midfield. Hit the crossbar with a typical Kroos shot from long-range in the 34th minute. AP -
Luka Modric - 6. Not the best of days for Modric at the Etihad. Still looked the most likely to make something happen among the midfield trio. Getty -
Rodrygo - 5. A toothless performance from Rodrygo on the right flank. He looked likelier to create something when he played more central in the second half. EPA -
Karim Benzema - 3. An ineffective performance from Benzema on a night when Real looked to the captain for inspiration. Had his first shot on target in the 83rd minute. EPA -
Vinicius Junior - 5. Found the going tough against an inspired Walker at right back. Had an air-shot when he had the chance to side-foot Rodrygo’s cutback in the 60th minute. Getty -
SUBS: Antonio Rudiger (Modric 63') - 5. Came on and helped improve the away side’s defence in the second half. Reuters -
Marco Asensio (Kroos 71') - N/A. Brought on with the hope of helping to inspire another historic comeback, Asensio failed to make the desired impact. AP -
Aurelian Tchouameni (Camavinga 80') - N/A. Came on late and struggled to get involved. EPA -
Dani Cabellos (Rodrygo 80') - N/A. Saw his attempt saved by Ederson in the 83rd minute. Getty -
Lucas Vazquez (Carvajal 80') - N/A. Could do little to stop the home side in his time on the pitch. EPA
City had led it from the second minute of the first leg until the 91st minute of the second leg. Madrid substitute Rodrygo’s sudden brace of goals from the bench dragged the tie into extra-time, when Karim Benzema’s penalty eliminated City.
“In that moment we had to swallow poison,” recalled the City manager, “and a year of being criticised for not having character. But sport always gives you another chance, and one year later we are in the final of the Champions League.”
Rodri echoed Guardiola. “Football gives opportunities to make amends, and you can always learn from past mistakes,” he said. “This season we have done things better and reached a peak moment.” He has his own redemptive arc. He has risen to a status where Guardiola is calling him “our best midfielder” after the teenaged disappointment of being let go by Atletico Madrid.
He rejoined Atletico from Villarreal in his early 20s, before signing for City in 2019. He closes out his fourth season in Manchester aspiring to a Treble. City can win their fifth Premier League in six years by beating Chelsea on Sunday. They face Manchester United in the FA final on June 3, and seven days later confront Inter in Istanbul.
City’s specific improvements, from 12 months ago, naturally include the signing of Haaland, who but for stunning saves from Thibaut Courtois at the Etihad, would have joined Bernardo Silva, who grabbed two first-half goals, Eder Militao, who scored an own goal, and Julian Alvarez on Wednesday’s scoresheet.
But the adjusted arrangements in the back half of the team, with Guardiola encouraging John Stones to step up from a position on the right of the defence into central midfield, has increased City’s control. It allows Rodri to take up more advanced positions, to make use of his passing excellence closer to the opposition goal.
That meant a step in a very different direction to which the Spain national team guided Rodri during the World Cup in Qatar, when he was used in central defence, the anchor midfield role reserved for Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets.
Spain’s campaign ended in an early elimination, at the last-16 round and Busquets’ retirement from national duty. Rodri will be restored to Spain’s midfield from now on, and has a very real prospect, at 26, of becoming admired as the very best in the world in his position.
