Forgotten Real Madrid Star Has Uphill Battle to Climb After 300-Day Layoff

Amid all the doubts looming over Vinícius Júnior and the hype surrounding Yan Diomande, there is another Real Madrid winger working his way back into José Mourinho’s ranks: Rodrygo.

The Brazilian ended his 2025–26 season early when he tore his ACL and meniscus in March. The injury also ruled Rodrygo out of the 2026 World Cup and the start of Mourinho’s second reign at the Bernabéu.

The devastating setback was a large reason why Real Madrid sought out Diomande last summer, with the intention of filling the gap on the right wing left by Rodrygo and Franco Mastantuono, who joined Fiorentina on loan.

With how well the Côte d’Ivoire international has performed—on both wings—Rodrygo has become nothing more than a forgotten name. But the 25-year-old’s lengthy layoff is almost over.

The Athletic report Rodrygo is expected to return after Christmas. Should he stay on track with that recovery timeline, the forward will be available for the second half of the season after spending over 300 days on the sidelines.

Is There Still Room for Rodrygo at Real Madrid?

It wasn’t too long ago that Rodrygo’s name was splashed across headlines throughout Europe, linked with a blockbuster move to the Premier League after falling out of favor with Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the 2024–25 season.

Rodrygo ignored all the enticing suitors and pledged to work his way back into the XI under incoming boss Xabi Alonso. Except the Spaniard largely followed the trends of his predecessor and limited the winger’s minutes until a strong winter run saw Rodrygo reach his previous heights. It all came crashing down, though, when he suffered injuries in January and February before his season ended in March.

When Rodrygo retreated to the sidelines, his only real competition at right wing was Brahim Díaz and Mastantuono. The former never stood above Rodrygo in the pecking order and the latter could barely even see the pitch under Álvaro Arbeloa. The pathway back to the XI was clear.

But Diomande’s arrival changes everything. The teenager, who has eight goal contributions in his last 10 appearances, is playing so well that there’s a general belief he will keep Vinícius Jr on the bench even once the No. 7 returns from suspension.

Yan Diomande has been an electrifying addition to Real Madrid. | Cesar Ortiz Gonzalez/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Even if he doesn’t, Diomande will still remain in the XI, just on the right wing—a position Rodrygo would hope to reclaim in the new year. Except the winger stands little chance of doing so; there’s just no feasible reality he will displace a fit Diomande, especially after nearly a year out of action.

Should Rodrygo be satisfied with only serving as a depth option, then he is in luck. But if he has ambitions of rounding out a Real Madrid attack under the brightest lights on the biggest stages, he will likely be very, very disappointed.

The expected return of Mastantuono next summer will only add another roadblock to his attempted resurgence. Then there’s whatever new, shiny attacker—bonus points if he’s a left winger—Los Blancos can sign ahead of the 2027–28 season.

It might not have been time to leave the Spanish capital in 2025, but Rodrygo could have some harsh realities to consider two years later.

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