A cold night in Stoke for Jesé Rodríguez

Once labelled the next Cristiano Ronaldo, former Real Madrid star Jesé Rodríguez now finds himself fighting for his place at Stoke.

Were it not for a crippling knee injury suffered in 2014, Jesé Rodríguez might still be playing for Real Madrid. Instead, nearly four years later, the Spaniard finds himself on the periphery at Stoke.

At a club like Real Madrid, only the exceptional few are afforded the opportunity to progress from the academy to the first team. Jesé Rodríguez fell into that category. Having joined the famed La Fábrica in 2007, he progressed through the club’s reserve sides and smashed goalscoring records along the way. Early comparisons were drawn between him and teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, both for his ability on the pitch and his flair off it. By March 2014 he had made nearly 50 senior appearances before an innocuous shove by Sead Kolasinac brought a sudden halt to his rapid progression.

The next nine months were spent on the sidelines undergoing intense rehabilitation to mend the torn meniscus and anterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee. It was a frustrating period for Jesé but in an interview with FIFA he revealed he had taken lessons from his injury:

"I had a very tough time, but I think that things in life happen for a reason. Maybe I had the injury because I needed to learn and become a more mature footballer."

However, over the course of the season-and-a-half following his recovery, Jesé found himself starved of game-time behind the front three of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo. With his minutes limited and his performances suffering as a result, he decided to leave the only professional club he had ever played for.

Six months later and he was on the move again, cast out on loan to Las Palmas after an ill-fated transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. He fared slightly better in his hometown but at the end of the season the club decided not to make his move permanent. Both PSG and Las Palmas questioned his attitude. Left in limbo by a club who did not need him and one that did not want him, Jesé was at a new low in his career.

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Across the border from France, though, lay a shot at redemption. Marko Arnautovic’s move to West Ham at the start of the current season opened the door for Jesé to make a move to Stoke and afforded him an opportunity to make his mark in the Premier League. Boasting winners’ medals in La Liga and the Champions League from his time in Madrid, he arrived at the club to much fanfare. The excitement surrounding his arrival was heightened when he scored on his debut to earn the Potters a win over Arsenal. 

That same excitement soon turned to frustration, however, as the Spaniard failed to find the back of the net again during the first half of the season. Glimpses of his immense talent were on display but he struggled to find consistent form at the Britannia. As a result he lost his spot in Stoke’s starting lineup in October and was relegated to the bench for most of the club’s subsequent matches. He was then disciplined by Stoke in December after leaving the stadium early during the club’s victory over Swansea.

While his attitude was once again called into question, it became apparent soon after that his performances were being affected by personal issues back home in Spain where his prematurely born son was suffering from health complications. A two month hiatus from football followed during which the club granted him compassionate leave. He made his return on Saturday and featured positively in a draw with Brighton but once again stole the headlines for the wrong reasons. With the scores deadlocked at 1-1 heading into the final minutes, Jesé drew a foul to earn Stoke a penalty and the chance to win the match. His moment had arrived.

Except it hadn’t. Regular penalty taker Charlie Adam proceeded to pick the ball up and Jesé lost his cool at being denied the chance to be a hero. Adam was eventually able to take the penalty after the Spaniard was restrained by his teammates but saw his effort saved by Brighton ‘keeper Mat Ryan. To some, his antics were justified by Adam’s miss, while others pointed out that it created unnecessary pressure. In the end, it was a moment that could define Stoke’s relegation battle.

Paradoxically, it’s in the threat of relegation that Jesé can find redemption. His personal battles have undoubtedly weighed on his shoulders, but alongside Xherdan Shaqiri he remains the club’s most naturally gifted player. If he’s able to find the maturity he spoke of following his injury and combines it with his undoubted talent, he could be the man to keep the club up this season. If not, it will be a cold night in Stoke for Jesé come May 13.