While Antonio Rudiger is now with the German national team, he can't help but fantasize of making his Real Madrid debut.
The deal is the biggest of Rudiger's career, as he becomes the club's first signing of the 2022/23 season. The German sat down with MARCA ahead of his presentation on June 20 to talk about how excited he is to start his new adventure in Spain.
It's just been a week since Real Madrid announced your signing. How are you doing today?
I'm ecstatic, yet I still have no idea what it all means because I haven't even visited Madrid. I'll go with my entire family as soon as I finish with the German national team, and I believe that's when I'll truly understand what it means to sign with Real Madrid.
Is it apparent to you that this is the most important move in your professional life?
I believe that everything in football, as much as in life, is a chapter, and this is a new chapter for me. Obviously, this new chapter is significant since it represents a significant step forward for me. It's arguably the most important in my whole career.
What was the first thing that sprang to mind when Real Madrid called?
'Wow,' I thought when I first heard from Madrid. They approached me for the first time in September or October, I believe. It was incredible to be called by a club like this so frequently.
What were your thoughts when you scored at the Santiago Bernabeu with Chelsea? What was your experience like in that environment?
It was my first visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, and we had gone to view it the day before. When you glance up, you can see the whole stadium structure. You recognize that it is a unique location and that you want to play that type of game at that type of stadium. You want to play for Madrid as well as against them. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned that day, and they went on to become champions. As a result, I commend them.
Didn't you enjoy the stadium?
yes I've already seen images of how it will appear once the renovation is completed, and it will be much better. I'm excited to be able to play there.
"We have to have Rudiger in this team," Carlo Ancelotti told the club after that game.
Yes. In the realm of football, everyone knows who Ancelotti is. He is a quality coach, as evidenced by his victories in LaLiga Santander and the Champions League. I don't have much to say about him, and all I can say is that it's a huge honor for me that a coach like Ancelotti wants me. I've been watching him on television since I was a child. It's a unique situation.
Have you had a chance to speak with Ancelotti?
Yes, I've had a conversation with him.
What was the outcome of the discussion?
It was a very pleasant exchange. He informed me that everyone in Madrid was delighted to see me, which makes me extremely pleased. It's undeniable that Ancelotti is one of the key figures behind Real Madrid's success, but he isn't the only one. There's Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Casemiro, to name a few. I'm pleased of him since he informed me they were all really delighted. It also reminds me that I've done well over the previous three years, which motivates me to go even more at Real Madrid.
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