Real Madrid began their quest of becoming Europe’s best with a win over Inter Milan at San Siro, courtesy of a late winner from Rodrygo Goes. Carlo Ancelotti’s undefeated run continues with his fluid attacking style of football but questions continue to arise over the state of the defence.
The Merengues surprisingly bid farewell to Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane in the summer transfer window- two stalwarts who have been regular starters in the backline for the past decade. Despite the departures, David Alaba was the only signing that was made to reinforce the defence.
The current state of the defence is a natural phenomenon that was bound to occur after Ramos and Varane left. Currently, the backline misses a presence of a leader and an experienced centre-back alongside David Alaba as the likes of Eder Militao and Nacho Fernandez have been inconsistent with their performances.
Los Blancos desperately require recruitment in the backline and if there’s one centre-back that Real Madrid must consider signing next season, then it should be none other than Chelsea‘s Antonio Rudiger. Let’s look into three reasons why the German international is an ideal signing.
EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP
At the age of 28, Antonio Rudiger has managed to establish himself as one of the best centre-backs in Europe. The German international revived his career under Thomas Tuchel last season and played a pivotal role in guiding Chelsea to the Champions League title.
Rudiger was arguably one of Chelsea’s best performers in the UCL last year and his performances against the bigger fish such as Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Manchester City in the final was noteworthy.
The 28-year-old is a natural-born leader who openly dictates the game from the backline and helps organise the defensive shape while out of possession. Apart from being a leader, Rudiger has a strong personality as a rough centre-back who never backs out from a harsh challenge or a 50/50 tackle. He always gives his 100% and is an authoritative player.
At the moment, Real Madrid lacks a player with experience and an aggressive persona and the only player that comes close to Sergio Ramos’ presence is Antonio Rudiger. They both are warriors and Rudiger could fill in that void and form an excellent partnership alongside Alaba.