Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has accused Diego Rico of exaggerating his knee-to-head movements while on the pitch during the defeat to Getafe two weeks ago. The German defender was heavily criticized for his aggressive or careless behavior towards Rico.
Rudiger escaped punishment that night and VAR decided not to intervene in the incident, much to the dismay of Getafe players and staff. Rico said in an interview the next day that if he had caught him badly, he might have left him on the grass. He also noted that if the situation had been reversed, he would likely have been suspended for 10 games.
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“I’ve seen the slow-motion replays and it looked bad. But if you watch the game itself… I won’t argue with him but I didn’t kill him. He shouldn’t have exaggerated the contact because if I was hurting him on purpose, I would have hurt him. I spoke to him after the game. If you freeze the image, it doesn’t tell You everything. And it wasn’t a red card, why wasn’t it sent off? I never meant to hurt him. I like to be tough when I play, but there are some lines that I can’t cross, which is why I think those claims are a bit exaggerated, but he should keep a low profile.”
The following week, the referee’s committee confirmed that Rudiger should have been sent off.
Antonio Rudiger on facing Erling Haaland
The press conference was held ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League second leg against Manchester City, in which Real Madrid had a three-goal advantage. Manchester City’s star striker Erling Haaland was withdrawn after just 10 touches and Rudiger has made a habit of making the most of him.
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“I don’t think much about the numbers, I don’t pay much attention to them, they are just numbers. He beat me in the group. Players like Haaland are tough and it’s nice to play against the best. I really enjoyed the physicality. Huizen also played a good game; I’m not alone. I’m really looking forward to this game.”
“I’ve played against him many times… He’s a world-class player and he’s young. He’s very strong and I loved those matchups in my career. In my first season here, no centre-back could give him a good game and beat him… and I was the first. He’s a good guy and an even better football player. There’s nothing more to say.”
Rudiger talks about Real Madrid’s future
The veteran defender is one of the players who is out of contract this summer. General reports suggest that he will not be offered a contract extension after the season.
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“The most important thing for me is health. I feel good. As for the rest… I’m sure it will resolve itself. Now is not the time to talk about it.”
“I feel great here. I notice the respect people have and I’m very grateful. But sometimes you can’t just think about the emotional aspect; I also have to think about the fact that I feel good and I have a job to do. But I love Real Madrid.”
“We must always maintain the same attitude”
Real Madrid’s mentality in the first leg against Manchester City was well-received, as they seemed to handle the situation well and showed their collective spirit.
“We need this mentality not just tomorrow but always. Either we win together or we all lose. We have to make smart choices.”
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Rudiger was also asked about his role as a veteran in the development of younger players, with the likes of Thiago Pitacci, Manuel Ángel and Cesar Palacios emerging in recent weeks.
“I think I have an important role because we play with a lot of young players and my job is to help them. My job is to improve them as players. Young players also have to accept the fact that they are not Sergio Ramos or Maldini.”
“As a veteran, you have to take that responsibility and take the pressure off the young players. Look at those new players, there are a lot of them, they are doing a good job. Hats off to the coach for giving them confidence.”
Real Madrid will face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium at 21:00 CEST and are favorites to advance to the quarter-finals, facing either Bayern Munich or Atalanta.
