The situation of German defender Antonio Rudiger is starting to raise concerns at Real Madrid. Physically exhausted, the 31-year-old rock is said to have complained about his condition just before the end of the first part of the season. Carlo Ancelotti is facing a new puzzle to solve.
Arriving in the Spanish capital in 2022, Antonio Rudiger quickly rose through the ranks. After a mixed first season where he played as a backup to Eder Militao or David Alaba, the German rock completely turned the tide of his story with Real Madrid after an impressive performance against Erling Haaland and Manchester City in the Champions League. Having convinced Carlo Ancelotti that he deserved a permanent starting spot, the former Chelsea player has been playing regularly. Becoming indispensable, Rudiger, with his exceptional physique, has become the first choice for the coaching staff in defence.
Antonio Rudiger complains of fatigue
This season, the Sierra Leone-born centre-back hasn’t missed a single match. Since the first match of the season against Atalanta Bergamasca in the UEFA Super Cup, Antonio Rudiger has played in 23 matches. Due to numerous injuries in defence, the presence of the former Chelsea player has become crucial to maintain balance. Speaking of injuries, an alert was raised at the Madrid club in recent hours. Indeed, according to reports, Rudiger is tired. Working tirelessly, the defender, who never cheats, is said to be physically drained.
Fearing an injury that could put Real Madrid in a tricky situation, with the team already without Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao (both of whom are out for the rest of the season due to serious knee injuries), Antonio Rudiger himself is said to have asked for a reduced workload. Informed by the medical staff of the concerning physical state of his 31-year-old key player, Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly considering the best course of action. As the sole leader of a defence that isn’t completely dominant, Rudiger is unlikely to get much rest anytime soon.
Ancelotti without a viable solution, Rudiger will continue
According to Defensa Central, who also looked into the matter, the German international is ready to continue playing given the absence of another key player in defence to partner with Raul Asensio or Aurélien Tchouaméni. With three more matches to play before the brief winter break, the coaching staff hopes that Rudiger will hold up and not get injured. The situation still raises the question of recruiting an experienced defender in January to step in if needed.
In any case, with the number of important matches coming up in the second half of the season, including the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the Champions League, Antonio Rudiger is at risk of ending up with more than 50 matches under his belt. It is worth noting that if nothing is done during the upcoming transfer window, the defender could well exceed 50 matches in his legs.
We will have to wait and see if Carlo Ancelotti takes the risk of pairing the young Raul Asensio and Tchouaméni to give Rudiger some rest, or if Florentino Pérez will bring in an experienced player during the winter transfer window to help out from time to time.
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