‘Another Level’—Pep Guardiola Fuels Transfer Speculation With Lavish Real Madrid Praise

Xabi Alonso also had plenty of praise for a figure never far from the gossip column.

Pep Guardiola singled out one Real Madrid player for praise after Wednesday’s Champions League clash. / Angel Martinez/UEFA/Getty Images

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola only strengthened the transfer links between his club and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo with a gushing appraisal of the Brazilian winger.

In the modern age of advanced analytics, detailed psychological profiles and extensive background checks, there is still no scouting report as potent as one good performance in the flesh. Countless players have been signed by managers after playing well against their future employers.

Even a club as data savvy as Liverpool can fall foul of recency bias, with Jürgen Klopp said to be the driving force behind Darwin Núñez’s expensive arrival in 2022 after watching him tear the Reds apart for Benfica. As the mercurial Uruguayan proved, the eye test isn’t always the best method.

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Nevertheless, it remains as compelling as ever.

Guardiola watched on in awe as Rodrygo delivered one of his best performances in months on Wednesday night. Installed on his unfavored right wing, the forward fired Madrid into a first-half lead, in the process ending his record-breaking eight-month goal drought with a crisp swipe into the bottom corner.

Aside from his goal Rodrygo created the game’s most chances—all five of which were squandered—and won the most free kicks. Yet, as he would lament himself, “it wasn’t enough” to avoid a damaging 2–1 defeat.

Rodrygo found the back of the net for the first time since Mar. 4. / Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/DeFodi/Getty Images

After the final whistle Guardiola could be seen in conversation with the Brazil international. “I told Rodrygo how good he is,” the City boss revealed. “He’s a player of another level... this guy is a player on another level. I’m glad he’s back from injury. He’s very, very good.”

City have been burned by Rodrygo on numerous occasions. It was he who scored twice in the final minutes of the 2022 Champions League semifinal to haul Real Madrid back from the brink of elimination while he also found the net in both legs of the 2024 quarterfinal.

There was ample speculation surrounding a move from City for Rodrygo over the summer when it appeared that his Real Madrid career had come to an end. Ultimately, the player pushed to stay in the Spanish capital, snubbing City and a glut of Premier League suitors. Yet Guardiola’s comments will only set transfer speculation in motion again.

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Rodrygo Doubles Down on Real Madrid Stance

Rodrygo was among those to back the manager. / Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press/Getty Images

For his part, Rodrygo has done his best to dampen any such gossip. After pledging to knuckle down under Alonso, having struggled for a starting berth this term, he made a beeline to celebrate the opening goal against City with his manager.

Rodrygo verbalised his support of Alonso after the match and the admiration was clearly mutual.

“I liked his performance,” Alonso said of Rodrygo. “The goal was a consequence of other things he did well. It’s one of today’s good pieces of news to see him with that individual quality, that flair, and he also scored, which was important for him.

“We know about his quality. I feel the support of the players. We are together every day, we prepare for matches and I like the closeness we have. The hug and the goal were positive. It made a difference. I’m very pleased for him. He will improve and he is on the right track.”

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