Manchester City are back in Champions League action tomorrow night – and Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger has been speaking about the reigning champions today in a press conference.
Pep Guardiola has been putting his players through their paces today in training, ahead of Tuesday’s quarter-final first leg at the Bernabeu.
City are looking to do what they did in last year’s competition, and put the Spanish giants out.
Last time around, City and Real drew in the first leg, before City produced one of their finest displays under Pep back at the Etihad Stadium.
Real Madrid will certainly be a stern test and have some big threats. Vinicius Junior will obviously be key for them, and with Kyle Walker being unavailable, he could get some joy.
But City obviously have major threats of their own, and Antonio Rudiger picked out three today ahead of the game…
Antonio Rudiger names three Manchester City players Real Madrid must be wary of
Rudiger will be hoping to get the nod from Carlo Ancelotti tomorrow night, as he did in the first leg last season.
The Germany international has been heavily involved in their European campaign so far, playing 90 minutes six times. He has also started Real’s last five La Liga matches.
Previously, we have seen Rudiger enjoy a very physical battle with City number nine Erling Haaland.
Last term, he did fare very well against the Norwegian, before not playing in the second leg.
Today at a press conference, Rudiger mentioned Haaland as one of three players Real need to try and contain if they are to come through the tie.
He said (via ESPN): “It was a good game last year at the Bernabeu. We all did a great job keeping Haaland quiet that evening. And my teammates did a good job keeping [Kevin] De Bruyne quiet.
“This time, the plan will be to control dangerous players like Phil Foden, De Bruyne, and Haaland… It’s personal for me as a defensive player, against a super striker like Haaland.”
A test for Haaland
Rudiger is certainly right to urge his Real Madrid teammates to be wary of the three players he mentioned. He perhaps also should have included Rodri, who is absolutely pivotal and in sensational form at the moment.
But it will definitely be really interesting to watch Haaland do battle with the former Chelsea man again, after seeing them tussle last season.
Rudiger seems to view coming up against Haaland as a really big thing, and seems determined to get the better of him.
We saw him be extremely physical last season and there’s every chance he will be playing in the same way tomorrow night – and Haaland may need to exercise patience.
Rudiger won’t think twice about making a few fouls on the big man, and there is potential for him to wind Haaland up. But he mustn’t rise to any of his antics and show patience.
Ideally, Haaland will get Rudiger on a yellow card early doors to completely alter the way he will then play.