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Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has left fans in stitches after a bizarre moment during his side's 5-3 win against Atletico Madrid yesterday (January 10).
Carlo Ancelotti's men booked their place in the Supercopa de Espana final after an enthralling game at Al-Awwal Stadium in Saudi Arabia. Rudiger was among the goals, equalizing for Los Blancos after Mario Hermoso had opened the scoring.
However, the German defender's goal wasn't his only significant moment during the game. He is renowned for his comedic personality, which came into play during the Madrid derby.
Rudiger was seen twisting Atleti forward Alvaro Morata's nipple while laughing. The Spain international pushed his former Chelsea teammate away as tempers flared between the two arch-rivals.
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The 30-year-old put in an excellent performance at the back for Real Madrid. He made seven clearances, and one tackle and won all two of his ground duels.
However, his peculiar interaction with Morata has tickled fans with many questioning his antics. One fan called him:
"This guy is a menace."
Another fan thinks the Germany international needs to be stopped:
"This guy must be stopped."
Here's how fans reacted to the incident on X (formerly Twitter):
Real Madrid star Rudiger explains his eccentric playing characteristics
Real Madrid fans have enjoyed just over a year of Rudiger madness. He joined the La Liga giants as a free agent in July 2022 after leaving Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge faithful are well aware of the eccentric personality the German possesses. He was renowned for his somewhat crazy antics throughout his time with the Blues.
Rudiger touched on his personality in an interview with German outlet SPORT 1 in September 2022. He said:
"That’s just me. I also love and need the mind games and the trash talk with my opponents, it’s just fun for me. I like to analyze my opponents and think to myself, ‘Okay, let’s see how they react if I provoke them a bit'. But it’s not like I pick someone before every game. That happens spontaneously.”
Rudiger has been a stalwart at the back for Los Blancos, making 25 appearances across competitions this season. He's helped Ancelotti's side keep 12 clean sheets while chipping in with three-goal contributions.
The former AS Roma defender has won the UEFA Champions League, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Super Cup at the Santiago Bernabeu. He's a character of whom you just can't take your eyes off.
