Antonio Rudiger talks about facing former team Chelsea in Champions League quarter-finals

Ayushmaan Srivastava April 10, 2023

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Real Madrid center-back Antonio Rudiger has recently made a statement about his former club, Chelsea, ahead of their clash in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Speaking to Spanish outlet MARCA, Rudiger said, “It has changed a lot and I don’t really know what to expect… It doesn’t look much like the team I played for. I expect quality, because they are very good players, but I don’t know what else we can find. It won’t be an easy game, but we are Real Madrid.”

Rudiger played for Chelsea in both their previous Champions League meetings with Real Madrid, but he has since moved to the Spanish giants. He acknowledges that much has changed at Chelsea since his departure, with new ownership, backroom staff, expensive players, and a new-ish manager in the form of Frank Lampard. Rudiger recognizes that the current Chelsea team lacks the leadership and motivation that he brought to the squad.

Antonio Rudiger digs at Chelsea 😅 pic.twitter.com/BQBLASVxG3
— GOAL (@goal) April 10, 2023

Real Madrid center-back still cautious about facing Chelsea in upcoming fixture

Despite the changes at Chelsea, Rudiger is still cautious about his former team’s chances in the upcoming fixture. He expects a rough game across the two legs and recognizes that the Blues still have an abundance of firepower. “I expect quality, because they are very good players,” he said. “It won’t be an easy game.”

When asked if he would have preferred not to face Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, Rudiger replied, “I don’t care and less at this stage of the competition. It would have been a great story to have played the final against them, of course, but on the field for me, there are no emotions, and I only think about winning.”

Both Real Madrid and Chelsea are struggling in their respective domestic leagues, but both have been performing well in the Champions League. With Chelsea’s season hanging on the line, they will be looking to make a statement against the defending champions. Rudiger’s comments add an interesting perspective to the upcoming clash, and it will be exciting to see how the game plays out.