“I kept thinking that my teammates were insulting my mother” – Antonio Rudiger opens up on hilarious misunderstanding at Real Madrid

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger had a hilarious mix-up with teammates over a phrase he didn't understand.

Rudiger arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu last summer as a free agent and has adapted well to life in the Spanish capital. However, the German defender was confused when exchanging words with his teammates early on in the season.

The former Chelsea centre-back often heard the phrase 'P*ta Madre' and took it as a dig at his own mother, telling SPORT1:

“I had to check what ‘P*ta Madre’ means. In beginning, I kept thinking that my teammates were insulting my mother, but it means like: ‘Damn cool!’.”

Rudiger has had to adapt to a new language, having spent five years in England with Chelsea and one in Italy with AS Roma. He explained that he hasn't been taking Spanish lessons, as he wants to learn through his teammates:

“Do I take Spanish lessons? No (laughs). My motto is: Learning by doing! In the dressing room, I also have almost no choice but to speak Spanish. If you want to talk to Vinicius, for example, you won't get very far with English."

The German has bedded into Carlo Ancelotti's side well, featuring 40 times across competitions, scoring twice. He has helped Real Madrid keep 15 clean sheets. He played against his former Chelsea side on Wednesday (April 12) as Los Blancos beat the Blues 2-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal.

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Real Madrid's Rudiger has no regrets over joining Los Blancos

Rudiger is loving life at the Bernabeu.

Antonio Rudiger spoke before Real Madrid's victory over the West Londoners about his decision to join Ancelotti's side.

The German had many options as his contract expired at Stamford Bridge, but he opted for the reigning European and La Liga champions, telling Marca:

“I’m very happy here. I feel very comfortable. Real Madrid are a club with a lot of history, a lot of trophies and a lot of great players. The club have 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."

The Germany international also lavished praise on Ancelotti for helping him settle in at the club. He alluded to Los Merengues' winning mentality as a reason for joining them:

“I’m very happy here. I feel very comfortable. Real Madrid are a club with a lot of history, a lot of trophies and a lot of great players. The club have 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 signed a four-year contract with Madrid, which expires in 2026. He's already becoming a key member of Ancelotti's defence.