Champions League
Rüdiger ready for Bayern and Kane: “Live for these duels”
Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger is looking forward to the game against FC Bayern. photo
© Dave Shopland/AP/dpa
Only the title counts: Antonio Rüdiger has internalized the high standards at Real Madrid. He also wants to prove that against Bayern Munich. Something particularly motivates the defender.
Real Madrid’s unbridled greed in the Champions League has for Antonio Rüdiger has a good reason. “If you don’t win with Real Madrid, it’s like a failure,” said the German national soccer player.
Rüdiger has long since internalized this highest claim, with which the Royal team have won the premier class five times since 2014 alone, often impressively refuting swansong prophecies. And so he feels huge anticipation before the semi-final first leg this Tuesday (9 p.m./Prime Video) at FC Bayern and the meeting with Munich’s star striker Harry Kane. “I live for these duels.”
The 31-year-old proved how much in the quarter-finals against defending champions Manchester City. Rüdiger took the exceptional Norwegian striker Erling Haaland almost completely out of the game in two games and scored the decisive try from the spot in the penalty shootout. Now he should stop Kane. “Another beast for Rüdiger,” wrote the Spanish sports newspaper “Marca” on Monday. “He’s also a world-class striker, a caliber like Haaland. I’m looking forward to it,” said the central defender on the pay-TV channel Sky.
Not a great speaker, but a great fighter
In the absence of David Alaba, who is officially part of the Real squad in Munich but is not yet fit for action after tearing his cruciate ligament, Rüdiger became the new head of defense for the Royals. In his own way. “Big words? I’m not,” he admitted, “but when it goes on the pitch it’s something different.” Then he pulls his teammates along with his physical and passionate play. He is a key player in the more defensive system that Real prefers against top European clubs. This was also the case in the first leg in Munich.
“There is a story, both have played against each other many times. They are very big teams,” said Rüdiger. They are “games on equal terms” and there is no favorite. If willpower decides in the end, the German sees the Spanish record champions as well prepared. And Bayern professional Joshua Kimmich also raved about Real’s Champions League appearances in an interview with the Spanish newspaper “AS”: “This is about quality, but also about mentality – and they have both.”
Rüdiger needs doubters: “That triggers me”
This also applies to Rüdiger. In his second year at Real, the former Stuttgart player is an undisputed regular player, just like in the national team. Not many experts expected him to develop like this, and the sometimes lanky-looking defender is still underestimated. “What makes me strong is when people doubt me, when they say: ‘You can’t, he’s much too strong for you.’ That triggers me,” revealed Rüdiger: “For me it’s even better if they People say bad things about me.” That’s why he feels that “this vow” about him is “too exaggerated.”
Club and national team colleague Toni Kroos also recently joined in the praise. Rüdiger gives the team “very, very much,” said the midfield strategist. The two Germans were rested by coach Carlo Ancelotti, as were Jude Bellingham and other top performers in the recent 1-0 league win at Real Sociedad San Sebastián. Rüdiger came on late. Thanks to the victory, the championship in Spain’s top league can practically no longer be taken away from the league leaders. But Real Madrid’s success this season is primarily measured by their Champions League triumph. Antonio Rüdiger knows this very well.