Exit-linked Real Madrid star captained team in second half vs Leganes | OneFootball

Real Madrid played their first pre-season training match heading into the new season earlier today, when they faced Leganes at the Valdebebas facilities.

After conceding early, Los Blancos bounced back strongly to secure a 4-1 victory, with goals coming from Brahim Diaz, Dean Huijsen, Eder Militao, and teenage gem Thiago Pitarch.

Given that it was only a training match, manager Xabi Alonso experimented with certain things during the game such as fielding veteran defender David Alaba as a pivot midfielder.

Rodrygo captained the team

And, according to journalist Miguel Angel Diaz of COPE, Rodrygo Goes, who has been heavily linked with a departure this summer, captained the team in the second half against Leganes today.

The start of the match saw Dani Carvajal take the captain’s armband, but Alonso shuffled his team at the half-time break.

Rodrygo’s future at Real Madrid is far from secure. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

And, as per the journalist’s update it was Rodrygo who led the side after the break as Los Blancos scored twice to stretch their lead.

There have been a lot of speculations surrounding the future of the 24-year-old Brazilian, especially considering that he barely featured under Alonso at the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this summer.

There is no shortage of suitors for Rodrygo either as clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, PSG, and Tottenham have shown an interest.

But there has been no concrete offer from any of the clubs as of yet and it is not entirely ruled out that the former Santos FC wonderkid continues at Real Madrid.

The fact that he was trusted with the captain’s armband, even though it was only a training match, suggests that Rodrygo might still have a chance of carving out a place in Alonso’s plans in the new season.