James Rodriguez Proving He's a True Star Sooner Than Real Madrid Had Hoped

Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema were given a rest on Tuesday night as Real Madrid defeated UE Cornella, 5-0, in the second leg of their Copa del Rey tie at the Bernabeu and 9-1 on aggregate.

In their absence, James Rodriguez, Madrid's €80 million summer signing, stole the show.

With a 4-1 lead going into the match, Los Blancos found the odds of progressing heavily stacked in their favour.

In fact, you may not even have been able to get odds on the Copa del Rey holders progressing into the last 32 of this season's competition. And when Xavi Boniquet missed a first-half penalty, the Segunda B's hopes of turning water into wine drastically reduced.

Within minutes of the spot-kick not even hitting the target, Rodriguez was displaying the type of coolness that earned him rave reviews at the World Cup in Brazil.

Put through on goal, the Colombian produced a beautiful chipped finish over the advancing Inigo Alberto to make it 1-0 on the night.

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Marcelo, who scored the fourth at Cornella in mid-October, had been criticised for overcelebrating, circumstances considered, but there were no elaborate somersaults from Rodriguez.

Instead, he was focused on getting on with his work—just in case a four-goal lead wasn't enough.

His next major involvement in the game was to produce a classy assist for Isco.

Picking the ball up in the middle of the park, Rodriguez's incisive pass parted the visiting defence, and Isco applied the perfect finish.

Before long, Rodriguez was adding his second goal of the evening.

This one wasn't as good as the first, but it was still a finish of real quality, caressed into the corner from the edge of the box.

Mister Chip's Twitter account soon revealed that the goal, Rodriguez's ninth of the season, moved him into elite company.

Alvaro Barrientos/Associated Press

Only three players in Spanish football have scored nine goals and produced nine assists as well; Rodriguez is now one of those three.

The other two? Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, of course.

With the job done, Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was able to replace Rodriguez in the second half—there was no need for further pain to be inflicted on their modest opposition.

Ancelotti was quoted by Miles Chambers of Goal.com as saying, "It was not easy for James to arrive to Real Madrid. But he has proved his quality and attitude. We're happy with him, he is a humble boy and that's important."

Although with one Rodriguez off the pitch, another was able to lead Los Blancos.

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The returning Jese Rodriguez, who has been out of action for nine months because of a knee injury, reappeared in the second half and capped his comeback with Madrid's fifth goal.

But while he'll be smiling, and rightly so on Wednesday morning, the hard work is only just beginning for the 21-year-old.

James Rodriguez's summer arrival and Isco's form, although the pair admittedly play further back, will make it hard for the young Canary Islander to break into the first team. He's worshipped by the Madrid fans, though. He's one of their own and will be afforded time to regain his fitness.

But for the time being at least, he's going to have to play second fiddle to another player in the Rodriguez stakes.

James Rodriguez.