“He calls me son and I call him dad” - Real Madrid star Rodrygo names one teammate who has been key to his success with Los Blancos

Real Madrid star Rodrygo claimed that veteran midfielder Luka Modric has played a key role in his success at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Brazilian forward said that he and the Croatian sometimes call each other 'son' and 'dad' - a testament to the close relationship that they share.

Rodrygo arrived in Madrid from Santos as an 18-year-old in July 2019 (for a reported €45 million fee). Despite struggling to find his feet early on, the winger has become an important member of the squad over the past few seasons.

The Brazilian has racked up 68 goals and 45 assists in 256 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid. Of the 256, he played 198 games alongside Modric, the second-most of any teammate in his career behind Federico Valverde (212 games together).

Elaborating on the bond that he shares with the 39-year-old and his influence, Rodrygo said (via Madrid Universal h/t UEFA):

"We have always had a very good relationship and the funny thing is that he is the same age as my father, so he calls me son and I call him dad. We have a very good relationship and I am a big fan of him as a player and as a person."

"He helps me every day. We were playing against Chelsea in the Champions League and he told me that when I got the ball I should attack the space, that he was going to find me. Modric was always one of my favourite players, I had always dreamed of playing with him," Rodrygo added.

This season, Rodrygo has bagged 13 goals and eight assists in 39 appearances (30 starts), while Modric has four goals and seven assists in 42 games (19 starts).

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"It's always special" - Real Madrid star Rodrygo makes claim about UCL Round of 16 showdown vs Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo claimed that his side's clashes with city rivals Atletico Madrid are 'always special'.

The two sides faced off in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie last week (March 4). The Brazilian opened the scoring in the 4th minute, sprinting at full pace to latch onto Fede Valverde's through-ball, cutting inside and lashing a shot into the top corner.

Later in the game, goals from Julian Alvarez (32') and Brahim Diaz (55') resulted in a 2-1 advantage for Real Madrid ahead of the second leg at the Metropolitano. Speaking to UEFA media prior to the highly anticipated match, Rodrygo said (via Madrid Universal):

"The games against Atletico have a different atmosphere because they are derbies, they are the two biggest teams in the city. The atmosphere is usually different and it’s always special to play against them."

With five goals and two assists in nine UCL appearances this season, Rodrygo has been a key contributor in Real Madrid's run. He will once again be a focal point in attack in the second leg of Los Blancos' Round of 16 clash against Atletico on March 12.