For Real Madrid, Wednesday’s 1-2 Champions League defeat to Manchester City marked a second consecutive home loss and fuelled mounting pressure. But for Rodrygo, the night provided one significant moment of personal catharsis: the Brazilian finally broke his agonizing nine-month goal drought.
His 28th-minute strike was a flash of brilliance, providing a brief lead before City launched their definitive comeback. Though the match ended in defeat, the goal offered immense relief to the forward, who last found the net 32 appearances ago.
“I really needed that, and I have done for quite a while,” Rodrygo admitted after the match. “My objective is always to score and help my team. I have to keep training hard and stay focused, but I hope that after this goal today, my best level will finally return.”
💬 @RodrygoGoes: “We’re frustrated because we played really well in the first half.”
🎙️ Full statements 👉 RM Play— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) December 10, 2025
Intriguingly, Rodrygo maintains a reputation as something of a Champions League specialist, particularly when facing Man City. The goal against City means he has now scored more times against them (five) than against any other opponent in a Los Blancos shirt.
Yet, that personal milestone was overshadowed by the team’s struggles. With Real Madrid under intense scrutiny and manager Xabi Alonso feeling the heat over a run of poor results, the atmosphere around the club is volatile.
Following the final whistle, Rodrygo sought out his coach for a significant embrace.
“I hugged Xabi because I know it’s a tough time for him too, and I wanted to show that we all support our coach,” Rodrygo explained, offering a public show of unity amidst swirling speculation regarding Alonso’s job security.
Reflecting on the match, the forward lamented the team’s inability to capitalize on their early advantage.
“We all feel very frustrated. It wasn’t quite enough,” he stated. “I thought we were very good in the first half, and that put us 1-0 up, but it wasn’t a big enough lead. We still need to improve. All of us were completely aware that these games are determined by minor details, and that’s what happened tonight.”
Rodrygo’s latest strike moves him up the list of all-time top Brazilian scorers in the UEFA Champions League:
| Player | Goals |
| Neymar | 43 |
| Kaká | 30 |
| Vinícius Júnior | 29 |
| Rivaldo | 27 |
| Rodrygo | 26 |
