Antonio Rudiger: I’m happy at Real Madrid and I respect Chelsea

Antonio Rudiger has spoken about his feelings ahead of facing his former club Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals. The German defender, who left the Blues to join Real Madrid on a free transfer last summer, said he is happy at his new club and he respects his former teammates.

In an interview with Marca, Rudiger said he made the right decision to join Real Madrid and he is enjoying his time in Spain. He said he was attracted by the club’s history, ambition and style of play.

“I’m very happy here, I feel very comfortable. Real Madrid is a club with a lot of history, a lot of trophies and a lot of great players. The club has a winning mentality and a beautiful way of playing football. I wanted to be part of this project and I’m glad I made this choice,” Rudiger said.

Rudiger also praised his coach Carlo Ancelotti, who he said has helped him adapt to the team and the league. He said Ancelotti is a calm and experienced manager who knows how to get the best out of his players.

“Ancelotti is a great coach, he has a lot of experience and he knows how to manage the team. He is very calm and he communicates well with the players. He has helped me a lot since I arrived, he has given me confidence and he has taught me many things. He is one of the best coaches in the world,” he said.

Rudiger admitted that it will be a special game for him to face Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals, but he said he will not have any sentimental feelings on the pitch. He said he respects Chelsea, where he spent five years and won several titles, but he will do everything to help Real Madrid win.

“It will be a special game for me, of course. I have a lot of good memories from Chelsea, I won many titles there and I have many friends there. But when I’m on the pitch, I don’t have any sentimental feelings. I’m a professional and I want to win with Real Madrid. I respect Chelsea, they are a great team with great players and a great coach, but I don’t have any mercy for them,” he said.

Rudiger also talked about his relationship with his teammates at Real Madrid. He said he gets along well with everyone, especially with his compatriots Toni Kroos and David Alaba. He also said he admires Karim Benzema and Luka Modric for their quality and leadership.

“I have a good relationship with all my teammates, we have a lot of fun together and we work hard together. I have a special connection with Kroos and Alaba, they are my friends and they helped me a lot when I arrived. They are both world-class players and they have won everything in their careers. And Benzema and Modric are amazing players too, they are leaders on and off the pitch. They are very humble and they always help the team,” he said.

Rudiger also shared an anecdote about how he celebrated his first goal for Real Madrid against Valencia in La Liga.

“I was very happy to score my first goal for Real Madrid, it was a great feeling. I celebrated by doing a dance that my son taught me, it’s called ‘the floss’. He always does it at home and he asked me to do it if I scored. So I did it for him and for all the fans who support us,” he said.