Setback for Rüdiger – AS.com

Antonio Rudiger will have to earn the minutes. It is true that the natural player from Berlin has landed on his feet at Real Madrid: he has arrived in top physical form, and in the two friendly matches that he has already played (against Barcelona and America) he has shown the great qualities of the. But Ancelotti will be faithful to the men who gave him the treble last season (Spanish Super Cup, League and Champions). Or at least in this first section of the course. Lucas Vázquez (due to Carvajal’s injury), Militao, Alaba and Mendy is the defense the Italian will rely on. Therefore, it is understood that Rüdiger will not haveat the moment, a secured site in eleven.

“I don’t want to change the couple from last year”. Those were the words of Carletto after the first pre-season friendly against Barcelona (1-0 loss). In this match, Militao and Alaba were the central couple, while Rudiger was relegated to the position of left side. This decision was surprising because it was expected that, with the arrival of the former Chelsea, Alaba moved to the left side to make room for the new addition. It was not so. Rüdiger’s game on the side was quite good: he managed to stop a very skilled player like Rapinha, as well as judiciously joining the rival area on several occasions. His feelings were very positive in his debut, a debut that was not in his preferred position.

The America of Mexico was the second rival in the preparation that the white club is carrying out in the United States. After that match (which ended in a tie at two and with a more recognizable Madrid), Ancelotti launched another sentence to analyze: “It is clear that the owner is Mendy.” In this match against the most successful team in Mexico, Rüdiger did act as a central defender together with Militao, while Mendy was the left side. He was back to his usual position, where he was serious and didn’t take too many risks. The expected. However, that sentence in which the coach supported the French side, leaves Rüdiger in a difficult position: Militao-Alaba is the central pair and Mendy the left back. With this, you can read between the lines that the German starts as a substitute at the beginning of this season, and that he will have to work hard to find a place in the eleven.

Despite these words, Ancelotti has a lot of confidence in the German. Sahr Senesie, Rüdiger’s agent and half-brother, revealed after his signing for Real Madrid that the player has a close contact with the coach since his stay in Naples, back in 2018. Their relationship is good, and Ancelotti loves him. In addition, his numbers support him. Last season he was the player who reached the fastest top speed in the Premier (36.7 km / h), or the fourth player who made the most passes in the Champions League (769, of which 669 were good). With all this, the most important fact is that with him on the field, Chelsea kept a clean sheet in 40% of the games in which he started (he played 202). With these numbers, it seems complicated that he does not have many minutes in his new team. But for this he will have to work and earn a position, because he does not come as a starter. Ancelotti has already said: “I don’t want to change last year’s couple” and “it is clear that the owner is Mendy”. We will see how the one from Berlin reacts to this.