Real Madrid’s victory (2-0) over Athletic Club had another protagonist in addition to the big-hitting Rodrygo. Éder Militão returned to the playing fields 232 days after breaking his cruciates. The Brazilian footballer had been in dry dock for seven months, recovering from this complicated injury that he suffered in August in San Mamés and today, precisely against Athletic Club, he returned to play. “It had to be here, at home, and against the same team I was injured against,” Militão recalled after the game. The white player confessed to feeling “a lot of joy and happiness” for having returned and thanked the fans for their unconditional support: “When I went out to warm up and listened to them I felt a joy that I cannot explain. I’ve thought a lot about this moment. “They have been difficult days and now it’s time to enjoy.”
Carlo Ancelotti also spoke about the return of the Brazilian footballer: “He has played very little but it was important for us that he return because in this final stretch of the season we need everyone, and especially a defender as strong as Militão. He needs time to adapt but the important thing is that he is already back.”
Another name that stood out was Rodrygo, whom he described as: “The most important player in the game”, the white striker was the author of the two goals that gave the team the victory. “Scoring with this shirt is always special. “I am very happy,” the footballer confessed to Real Madrid TV. “It’s a play that I really like to do and I hope to score more goals like this,” he explained about his first goal. Although Rodrygo claimed to be “happier for the return of ‘Mili’” than for his own goal.
“Rodrygo is good in all positions. “He is a great forward,” Acelotti stated about the position in the attack of the white player, of whom he acknowledged that perhaps “he liked this position more than the others.” The Italian coach assessed his team’s victory as a whole, highlighting “the defensive commitment of the entire team” and recognizing that his team “has not played at a very high level of intensity”, taking into account the players’ minutes load after the international break.
Finally, the Madrid coach ruled out considering the League won: “We didn’t think about this. We think that we have an advantage and that we have to win every game. The League is still open and we don’t have to make calculations, but rather win to make sure.”
