Five ways Antonio Rudiger will improve the Real Madrid defence

The centre-back is leaving the Blues at the end of the season.

Premier League outfit Chelsea FC is set to lose the services of Antonio Rudiger at the end of the season. The 2020-21 UEFA Champions League winners have failed to convince the player to sign a new contract. Thomas Tuchel, CFC’s manager, recently confirmed that the club and Antonio Rudiger will part ways at the end of his current deal. 

The wage demands, in the region of £300k, by the player were reportedly the major blockade during the negotiations. As for Rudiger, his next destination is already under work. The defender is said to have a verbal agreement with Real Madrid CF. He is set to join the Spanish side from next season onwards on a four-year contract for no transfer fee. 

This will turn out to be smart business by the Spanish giants. Getting a player of Rudiger’s calibre for free is genius, to say the least. The team will benefit a lot from his arrival and here are five ways how the German will improve Real Madrid's defence:

5. Hunger for trophies

Antonio Rudiger is a very ambitious individual. He is always hungry for trophies and Real Madrid is a club where winning silverware is a bare minimum. The two seem to be a match made in heaven. The centre-back will bring a winning mentality to the squad which is one of the most fundamental requirements at the club. 

Rudiger played a crucial role in helping Chelsea lift the UEFA Champions League title in 2020-21. The 29-year-old has also won a UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and an FA Cup with the Blues. 

4. Solves a major problem during set-pieces

Despite a successful campaign, conceding goals from set-pieces is an area of concern for Real Madrid. A shortage of tall players, interestingly, is one of the major causes of this outcome. Los Blancos conceded a goal from a set-play by none other than Antonio Rudiger while playing Chelsea in the UCL quarter-final.

The German international is tall and physical. His strength will be a huge asset in La Liga. Furthermore, Rudiger’s prowess in the air will make him a threat during set-pieces on both ends of the pitch.

3. Partnership with David Alaba

David Alaba was an exceptional bit of business by Real Madrid. Signing him on a free transfer from FC Bayern Munich was a smart move. Both Alaba and Rudiger will forge a strong defensive core in the backline and complement one another. In the Austrian, Real has a brilliant progressive centre-back and in the German, the club will have a destroyer who will rattle the opposition attackers. 

Both players are 29-years-old which ensures they are at the peak of their careers. They can form an unbreakable partnership and help the club transition into a new era more comfortably. 

2. Ability to play in multiple systems

Antonio Rudiger’s arrival will help the whole team and not just the defence. The German has the experience of playing in a three-man defence at Chelsea. His presence will allow Real Madrid to play in multiple formations which gives it a new dimension.

This allows the manager to field more attacking players, particularly wingers. A three-man defence needs experienced defenders who can read the opposition's attacking gameplays. Rudiger and Alaba together will be comfortable in executing this tactic. 

1. More experienced than Eder Militao

Eder Militao is by no means a player who is unfit at Real Madrid. Rather, the Brazilian defender has delivered impressive performances in the heart of the backline. However, Antonio Rudiger simply has more experience than him. He has won more trophies and understands the pressure of staying at the top.

The German will be an upgrade over Militao in the starting lineup. Furthermore, it will give the team some healthy competition for starting places, which elevates the performance of each player. Carlo Ancelotti will relish the opportunity to work with Rudiger and reinforce his team’s defence.

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