When Antonio Rüdiger posted a picture of himself raising his index finger to the sky; part of the public labelled him an Islamist and accused him of glorifying terrorist organizations because jihadists of the Islamic State are known for this symbol. The German Football Association (DFB) stepped in to defend the German defender. He clarified matters about Islam to the ignorant and continued to practice the faith that makes many coaches shudder, as players often struggle during Ramadan, feeling exhausted and unable to perform as usual. Although Antonio Rüdiger is on strict fasting, Carlo Ancelotti does not have a single problem with him. On the contrary.Rudiger take legal action due to ISIS claimsHe abstains from food and drink and strictly adheres to principles, but last night he devoured Erling Haaland—once again. It wasn’t his first time. Real Madrid may not have won the first part of the battle, but the German defender did emerge victorious in the gladiatorial fight at the Santiago Bernabéu, and surely Don Carlo won’t repeat last year’s mistake when he faced him head-on at the Etihad Stadium the previous year. And suffered. Because Antonio Rüdiger clung to the Norwegian terminator like a leech, ‘sucking’ out his blood and energy, rendering him harmless. A few weeks ago, when William Saliba and Gabriel nullified Manchester City’s ‘number nine’, Roy Keane called Haaland a ‘League Two player’. Last night he was frustrated against Rudiger. Whatever he tried—it didn’t work. He couldn’t escape from the German defender; he shadowed him like a ghost. Step by step. Breathing down his neck, and everything he said before their new showdown wasn’t in vain. His words didn’t go unheard.”We won’t just sit back and watch City have possession. When I play against super strikers like Haaland, for me as a defender, it’s personal” declared Rüdiger.pic.twitter.com/oq58VYRyF2— follow @idoxvi (@WhaDeRarse) April 10, 2024 And indeed, it really seemed like there was something personal against Erling Haaland. And yet, perhaps it’s just a matter of mentality. Like all refugees—his family fled from Sierra Leone due to the civil war—he grew up in poverty, on the streets of Berlin. He became accustomed to hunger during his time in the immigrant settlement and saw the world through different eyes. And he knows pressure very well. Many have succumbed to pressure, including Erling Haaland, but not Antonio Rüdiger. And not just once, but twice. Both times, the man dubbed cyborg, RoboCop, terrorist, and terminator was powerless. To the core. Last night against Real Madrid, he had 20 touches, lost seven balls, three out of nine passes were inaccurate, and he only had one shot on goal. Last year at the same venue, City’s striker received the ball 21 times, laid it off to a teammate 11 times, and had two shots on goal. Unsuccessfully, just like last night. He didn’t find the net. To the surprise of many, in the rematch, Antonio Rüdiger ended up on the bench, despite flawlessly marking Erling Haaland. The centre-back partnership was formed by David Alaba and Éder Militão, and the Royal Club was humiliated.King Aragorn: ‘Real doesn’t need Mbappe’What is it about Antonio Rüdiger that Erling Haaland struggles with? It’s not just about sheer brutality, but about strict marking. Rüdiger is one of the strongest when it comes to man-marking rather than defending space. So far, the recipe for Erling Haaland—especially in derbies where he’s been known to falter—has shown that it’s necessary for him to be marked by someone who is both strong and skilled and aggressive on top of that. A clean patch. That was all Antonio Rüdiger, and Pep Guardiola’s plans regarding the Norwegian striker went down the drain. It’s well known how Guardiola likes his team to play from foot to foot, with the goalkeeper handling the ball as proficiently as outfield players. Last night, he wanted to see something different. In the first half, Stefan Ortega was instructed to seek out Erling Haaland with long balls, but that tactic proved unsuccessful. The German was on every ball, just like a year ago at the Santiago Bernabéu when he properly irritated him by getting under his skin. It’s just that next week, we should expect to see Antonio Rüdiger starting at the Etihad. It will be an incentive for the Norwegian to finally break free from the iron grip of a man who, unlike many other athletes, doesn’t let social media affect him.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – QUARTER-FINALSFirst legTuesdayArsenal – Bayern 2-2 (1-2)/Saka 12, Trossard 76 – Gnabry 18, Kane 32(p)Real Madrid – Man.City 3-3 (2-1)/Dias (og) 12, Rodrygo 14, Valverde 79 – Silva 2, Foden 66, Gvardiol 71/Wednesday22:00: (1.85) Atl.Madrid (3.60) Dortmund (4.80)22:00: (2.05) PSG (3.60) Barcelona (3.80)***odds are subject to change***
