With Real Madrid drawing 0-0 for the second time in three La Liga matches, Zinedine Zidane has some work to do if Los Blancos are to retain their La Liga crown.
Against Getafe last week, Real were left cursing a number of wasted opportunities in the final third. At Valdebebas on Saturday, however, it seemed more appropriate to hold up your hands and accept that, sometimes, the opposition deserve credit for a stirring defensive display.
And there was no one who epitomised a well-drilled Betis side more than their 27-year-old Argentina international.
In the Spanish capital, Guido Rodriguez barely put a foot wrong. The bone-crunching enforcer completed four successful tackles on the night (the second highest tally of anyone on the pitch), keeping Isco, Rodrygo and even Luka Modric at arms’ length throughout.
Rodriguez proved himself to be no one-dimensional scrapper either. Boasting an 87 per cent pass completion rate, the former River Plate man was as useful in possession as he was out of it, even if he is missing a splash of composure.
There is certainly a touch of the Pierre-Emile Hojbjergs about the way he goes about his business. He plays like the Tottenham man and looks a bit like him too.
Oh how Arsenal could do with a midfielder like this; a Gilberto Silva-style pillar of a man capable of easing the pressure on Thomas Partey while freeing up the Ghanaian to express himself in the final third.
And it just to happens that, according to Estadio Deportivo, the Gunners have already come calling, expressing their interest in the late-blooming Rodriguez.
The report claimed, last month, that Arsenal have made an enquiry, attempting to find out how the Albiceleste ace would feel about swapping Betis for London.
Rodriguez has a £68 million release clause in his contract. And, away at Real Madrid on Saturday, Guido went some way to justifying that monstrous price tag.
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