Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger said it’s “a pleasure” to face Erling Haaland ahead of the team’s Champions League round-of-16 clash at Manchester City on Tuesday, after keeping the star forward quiet in last week’s first leg at the Bernabéu.
Haaland had just 10 touches — and no shots — in the game in Madrid, and was substituted in the 82nd minute as City were well beaten 3-0 thanks to a hat trick from Federico Valverde.
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The Premier League star has sometimes struggled against Madrid, failing to score when the teams met in 2023 and 2024, although he did find the net twice in City’s 3-2 loss to Madrid in February 2025, and converted a penalty when City won 2-1 in the league phase this season.
“I don’t think too deeply about things like statistics,” Rüdiger said in a news conference in Manchester on Monday. “In the game in the group stage, [Haaland] got the better of me… With players like Erling Haaland, it’s a huge pleasure to play against them. I like the physical battle.”
“I’ve faced him a lot, and he’s a top player,” Rüdiger added. “I like these kinds of duels…I find it fantastic to play against him. And he seems like a good guy.”
Rüdiger’s physical approach has faced recent criticism in Spain, after a challenge on Getafe‘s Diego Rico earlier this month saw the Germany international catch Rico in the face with his knee.
“When you see the images, in slow motion, of course it looks terrible,” Rüdiger admitted. “But he said I almost killed him, or something…He didn’t need to exaggerate it. If I wanted to hurt him, he wouldn’t have got up…It was never my intention to hurt anyone.
“I like to be tough on the pitch but I have boundaries. I think the boy exaggerated a bit.”
Rüdiger struggled with injuries earlier this season — making 11 appearances so far in LaLiga, and four in the Champions League — but is now playing regularly, with his Madrid contract due to expire this summer.
“For me, the most important thing is that I’m healthy,” Rüdiger said. “Right now, I feel great. As for all the rest, I’m very sure we’ll solve it. It’s not important right now. We don’t have to think about it.
“I feel great here, I feel the respect of the people. But you have to make decisions not based only on emotions… I’m fit now, and I like Real Madrid. I love Real Madrid.”
