Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti may well have dropped a hint regarding the future of a leading member of the club’s frontline, during their meeting with Barcelona.
The player in question? Rodrygo.
Real Madrid of course marked their return to action a short time ago, making the trip to Catalunya’s capital for a top-of-the-table La Liga showdown with arch rivals Barcelona.
When all was said and done, Los Blancos were condemned to the wrong side of a 4-3 result, after surrendering an early two-goal advantage.
And throughout the 90 minutes on Sunday, the aforementioned Rodrygo was forced to watch on from the bench.
After the Brazilian missed out last weekend owing to a bout of illness, Carlo Ancelotti declared Rodrygo fully fit and ready for action ahead of El Clásico.
In turn, it came as nothing short of a shock when the attacker was not afforded a single minute of playing time.
With Real Madrid having been desperately searching for an equaliser late on at Montjuïc, Carlo Ancelotti opted to introduce youngster Víctor Muñoz for a suprise debut this evening.
This snub came amid mounting recent speculation that Rodrygo could be in line for a summer exit from the Santiago Bernabéu, no longer happy with his role in Madrid.
Many of a Blancos persuasion, in turn, have since pointed towards the 24-year-old’s Clásico absence as a clear signal that a parting of ways is indeed on the cards ahead of next season.
Conor Laird – GSFN