Real Madrid were in desperate need of a leader after Eder Militao’s ACL injury early in the campaign. The Brazilian defender was after all Carlo Ancelotti’s most trusted lieutenant in the backline and one of the team’s leaders on the field.
Enter Antonio Rudiger. The German defender quickly established himself as the team’s primary presence alongside David Alaba in the heart of defence and continued delivering high-class performances week in and week out.
Internal admiration
As revealed by AS, there is great praise for Rudiger’s personality in the Real Madrid dressing room. After all, he has led by example both on and off the field since he arrived at the club.
The administration see the German to be the team’s leader in defence and admires his ability to step up when the pressure is on his shoulders. As such, he is regarded as the ‘undisputed pillar’ of the team.
Apart from his sporting level, Rudiger has also maintained a very high fitness level amidst Real Madrid’s injury woes.
The former Chelsea ace is the team’s second most utilised player with 1859 minutes across all competitions this season, only behind Federico Valverde who has played four minutes more.
Needless to say, maintaining such high fitness amidst the hectic calendar is commendable and a boon for Carlo Ancelotti’s plans.
The lone man standing
David Alaba’s recent ACL injury left Carlo Ancelotti with just two first-team options on defence ahead of the team’s clash against Deportivo Alaves.
Nacho Fernandez joined Rudiger on the night but had a forgettable outing as he was sent off early in the second half.
The latest development leaves the Italian gaffer with Rudiger as his only available centre-back for the first game of the new year.
Aurelien Tchouameni is best placed to join forces with the German, although it remains to be seen if the manager has a different plan up his sleeve.