"The comeback against City was the most special night of my career"

The fate has drawn Manchester City and Real Madrid together for the third consecutive year in the Champions League. However, this time, they will face each other early in the competition. Rodrygo shared his thoughts on what is expected to be one of the standout matches of the moment.

"The challenge is always the same when playing against them. The first match comes with a lot of pressure, and we know it will be difficult. We need to adopt the mentality we had last season,” he began.

The challenge at the Etihad: “Almost every team that comes here suffers a bit due to their style of play, they have more possession of the ball. I will always do my job, ready for what’s coming.”

The importance of good defending: “The manager has spoken to us, and we’ve seen how important it is. When the defenders see us working hard, it motivates the whole team. We understood that, and you could see it in the derby. It’s key for the rest of the season.”

Rodrygo recalled his unforgettable night with Real Madrid: “I was talking with Valverde the other day, watching the game against City… and we wondered if we’d ever experience a night like that again. I don’t know if it will happen again, but it was the best night of my life.”

Praise for Ancelotti: “Ancelotti has a lot of credit for helping me. It’s a pleasure working with him. He always tries to do something to make me better, and my job is to bring out my best version. I work every day, and that’s the secret.”

On his position: “I don’t need to do anything special, just keep doing my job. Everyone knows I started on the left wing as a child, but I really enjoy playing on the right because I feel I can help the team more. The manager knows exactly where to play me.”

When asked about possible offers, Rodrygo replied: “I don’t know much about it, my father, who is also my agent, deals with that. Honestly, I’m very happy here, I want to stay for many years, and I’m grateful. I don’t know if the club has received any offers,” referring to potential interest from Saudi Arabia.

Guardiola’s compliments: “I’m happy because he’s one of the best coaches in football history. But I hope everything goes well for Madrid tomorrow.”

“Manchester City is a team I’ve scored against recently, yes, but they’re always tough. I’m in a great moment, and I feel I can make a difference, but I aim to do that in every match. There are many difficult matches, and you always have to be there. It will be special, but I need to be decisive every time,” he added when asked about his influence on the game.

However, Rodrygo admitted he doesn’t enjoy playing against City due to the challenge they present: “No, no! As I said before, it’s always very hard to beat them. Nobody likes playing against City, just as nobody likes playing against Madrid. But I’ve been very happy when playing against them… and I hope I will be again tomorrow.”