Real Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez faces a critical stretch of play as she prepares for tonight’s Copa de la Reina quarterfinal against Barcelona. After battling back from injury and a brief stint as a backup, the team captain-and veteran of 202 appearances for Los Blancos-has rediscovered her form, currently boasting the highest save percentage in Spain. With her contract expiring this summer, this match represents a key possibility for Rodríguez to solidify her position with Real Madrid and possibly earn a recall to the Spanish national team.
Misa Rodríguez, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, delivered a standout performance on January 24th in the Supercopa de España final against Barcelona, reminding fans of her elite shot-stopping ability. The captain for *Los Blancos* made a string of extraordinary saves to keep her team in the contest until the 92nd minute, when Alexia Putellas sealed the 2-0 victory with a penalty kick. The Supercopa final was a highly anticipated match, showcasing the top teams in Spanish women’s soccer. Now, Rodríguez is set to defend the goalposts again tonight at the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium (9:00 PM, Teledeporte) in the Copa de la Reina quarterfinal against Barcelona, but the player with the most appearances in Real Madrid history (202) hadn’t seen a single minute of official action this season until October 16th.
That changed when Merle Frohms, the goalkeeper who had taken her starting spot after joining Real Madrid last July, suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament in her right knee against PSG. Since then, Misa has battled back from her previous role as a backup, becoming the team’s first captain and aiming for a return to the Spanish national team, all while her contract is set to expire on June 30th. She has emerged from what was described as the most delicate situation of her career since arriving at Madrid in the summer of 2020—along with Tere Abelleira, she is one of only two players remaining from the team’s founding—and is currently posting the best numbers of her career. According to sports statistics company Opta, she is now the Spanish goalkeeper with the highest save percentage.
In her 11 Liga F matches, Misa has stopped 80% of the shots she faced (32 of 40), surpassing Barcelona and Spain’s Cata Coll (79%) and Antonia Canales (77%), the starting goalkeeper for Badalona Women. During the Supercopa *final four* week in January, the goalkeeper explained at Estadio Castalia that she had worked tirelessly during the summer to overcome a dip in form and rediscover her “best version.” “This season has been very special. Wearing the Real Madrid armband is important to me, it’s a big step in my career. I just focus on enjoying each day with my teammates. We have a magnificent locker room and a fantastic staff that supports us,” she said when asked about her personal feelings.
The career of the 2021 and 2023 Zamora Trophy winner was in jeopardy after losing her place in the national team lineup at the end of 2024 and her starting position at Madrid last September. However, Misa has not only regained her spot in the Real Madrid goal, but is also making a case for a recall to the national team. Former national team coach Montse Tomé hadn’t included her since the end of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and her successor, Sonia Bermúdez, didn’t call her up for the Nations League finals in December after defeating Sweden in the semifinals and overcoming Germany. The new coach, however, has shown a willingness to move forward, starting a new chapter in September and witnessed Misa’s impressive performance in the Supercopa final in Castellón. According to Opta data, the goalkeeper made nine saves, including crucial one-on-one stops against Ewa Pajor and two difficult shots from Vicky López and Claudia Pina.
After being left off the roster for the 2025 European Championship, Misa told Canary Islands television last summer that she would like to keep the door to the national team open, having even been a starter in 2023 before Cata took her place. The goalkeeper has a crucial match tonight with Real Madrid. The team lost the Supercopa two weeks ago and is currently 10 points behind Barcelona in the league standings, but the Copa tie at home offers another fantastic opportunity to try and diminish the dominance of the *Blaugranas* and get closer to their first title in their short history. In goal for Real Madrid will be a Madrid native like Misa, the goalkeeper with the most saves in Spain and who wants to return to *La Roja* after overcoming the biggest crisis of her career.
