Defender says “it’s a huge pleasure” playing against strikers like the Norwegian
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has welcomed the challenge of facing Erling Haaland again as the Spanish giants prepare for the decisive second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie away to Manchester City on Tuesday.
The German centre-back played a key role in last week’s first-leg victory at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, where Madrid secured a heavy 3-0 lead. Haaland endured a quiet night in the Spanish capital, managing just 10 touches and failing to register a shot before being substituted late on, while Federico Valverde stole the spotlight with a hat trick.
Rudiger insists he relishes the physical contest that comes with marking one of Europe’s most prolific forwards.
“I don’t think too deeply about things like statistics,” Rudiger said. “In the game in the group stage, [Haaland] got the better of me. With players like Erling Haaland, it’s a huge pleasure to play against them. I like the physical battle.”
The pair have met several times in recent seasons but the Norwegian striker has enjoyed mixed fortunes playing against Madrid. He has struggled to score in some games but has also shown his threat in others, including a brace in City’s 3-2 defeat to Madrid in February 2025 and a penalty in the 2-1 league-phase victory earlier this season.
“I’ve faced him a lot, and he’s a top player,” Rudiger added. “I like these kinds of duels. I find it fantastic to play against him. And he seems like a good guy.”
The defender has also found himself under scrutiny in Spain recently after a collision with Diego Rico during Madrid’s clash with Getafe earlier this month, when his knee struck the Getafe player in the face.
Rudiger dismissed suggestions that the incident was deliberate and said it looked much worse than it was.
“When you see the images, in slow motion, of course it looks terrible,” Rudiger said. “But he said I almost killed him, or something. He didn’t need to exaggerate it. If I wanted to hurt him, he wouldn’t have got up. It was never my intention to hurt anyone.
“I like to be tough on the pitch but I have boundaries. I think the boy exaggerated a bit.”
Injuries earlier this season limited the German’s involvement. He has made only 11 appearances in La Liga and four in the Champions League so far, but the defender says he is now fully fit and focused on finishing the season strongly.
“For me, the most important thing is that I’m healthy,” Rudiger said. “Right now, I feel great. As for all the rest, I’m very sure we’ll solve it. It’s not important right now. We don’t have to think about it.”
