Rodrygo sent Real Madrid provisionally top of La Liga with two goals in a comfortable 3-0 win at Cadiz on Sunday.

The Brazilian winger also set up a goal for La Liga’s top scorer Jude Bellingham, who now has 11 to his name this season in the Spanish top flight.

Madrid climbed a point clear of high-flying Girona, who host Athletic Bilbao on Monday looking to reclaim the top spot.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side also rose four points clear of fourth-placed rivals Barcelona, following their 1-1 draw at Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, and third-placed Atletico Madrid.

Madrid was dealt severe blows over the past fortnight with Vinicius Junior and Eduardo Camavinga suffering long-term injuries, joining Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and Aurelien Tchouameni on the sidelines.

Despite that, Madrid secured a straightforward victory which is not something they take for granted after the international break, and less so with an injury-ravaged squad.

“Sometimes difficulty is just more motivation and the players understood that very well,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“All the absences that we have are important players, but we managed it well and the team was very good out there.”

The Italian coach started Toni Kroos in defensive midfield and brought veteran playmaker Luka Modric into the team for only his fifth start in La Liga this season.

Bellingham also returned after missing two league games and England’s Euro qualifiers with a shoulder injury.

Madrid dominated the opening stages and took the lead after 14 minutes when Rodrygo dribbled across the penalty area and curled a sumptuous strike into the top right corner.

The Brazilian struggled for goals at the start of the season but Ancelotti kept faith in him and with Vinicius sidelined, he will be crucial for Madrid in the coming weeks.

Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo Goes has talked to the club’s TV channel in an interview, where he discussed Real Madrid’s chances of fighting for the 2020-2021 La Liga title and other topics now that the rest of the squad is on national duty.

“Everybody is seeing that we fight until the end in every match. Real Madrid’s badge indicated that we are going to fight until the end, no matter how many points behind Atletico or Barcelona we have, we always fight,” said Rodrygo.

When asked about the Champions League, where Real Madrid will face Liverpool in the Quarterfinals, Rodrygo seemed aware of the fact that it won’t be an easy tie.

“Liverpool will be a very tough opponent, we’re all training hard now for what’s ahead and we’re hoping we can advance to the next round. Every match is important but in this moment of the season the matches are crucial. It’s a different feeling which makes us want to play and perform well, these are special games for sure,” he explained.

Rodrygo believes that this current FIFA break is not good for Real Madrid, who had gained some momentum in recent weeks, completing good performances against Atalanta and Celta.

“This week without games is a bit bad for us because it stops the momentum and groove we were carrying, but at the same time it gives us days to train hard and gain confidence so that we can be even better. I hope we can keep performing well when we’re back, we never give up,” explained the attacker.

Rodrygo suffered a serious hamstring injury this season but he’s now fully recovered and ready to contribute and make an impact. The young player revealed that it was tough for him to miss those many games.

“Now I’m very happy, but all that time being out was hard. I couldn’t stand being out without playing and watching the games on TV. I was getting upset even, but now I’m happy and working everyday to be better. The toughest thing to do is getting your confidence back, everything else is easier,” he said.

Rodrygo concluded the interview by answering a question about what coach Zinedine Zidane wants him to do when he’s on the pitch.

“Zidane tells us to press high but stay organized, the same for the defenders. It’s better to press high because that way we’re closer to their goal and don’t have to run 50 meters to defend, it’s better for everyone,” concluded the attacker.

The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner admits he is approaching the end of his career, but he still feels that he has plenty to offer at Santiago Bernabeu

Luka Modric accepts that he has reached a “certain age”, but the 35-year-old believes he still has plenty to offer at Real Madrid and would welcome the opportunity to extend his association with the club.

As things stand, the Croatian playmaker is due become a free agent in the summer of 2021. He will have spent nine years at Santiago Bernabeu by the time his current contract ends.

Many notable highs have been experienced since swapping Tottenham for the Spanish capital back in 2012. Modric has enjoyed two La Liga title triumphs and four Champions League successes, while also landing the Ballon d’Or in 2018.

He has seen regular game time under several different coaches, with Zinedine Zidane continuing to find a role for him in his present star-studded squad.

With there no sign of him slowing down, Modric hopes fresh terms will be put to him at some stage in 2020-21.

Discussing his club future while away on UEFA Nations League duty with his country, the classy playmaker said: “It’s the same as with the national team. I go from match to match and then we’ll see what happens.

“Of course I’d like to stay at Real Madrid. However, I am aware that I am at a certain age and the club must do the best for everyone. 

“As long as I feel that I am an important part of Real Madrid, I would like to stay. When that is no longer the case, I will look for new challenges. However, this issue is not yet on the agenda.”

Modric is approaching the 350-appearance mark for Real and 130 caps for Croatia. He has been a talismanic figure for club and country at times and believes he can maintain his standards for the foreseeable future, with there no plans on his part to start considering retirement any time soon.

Modric added: “I don’t want to set any limits or dates for myself. I’m going from match to match and I’ll see how I feel both physically and mentally. As long as I feel good, I want to play for the national team.”