Antonio Rudiger has shown a fierce competitive nature in training in the past, and even now, he’s taking no prisoners whatsoever.
The Real Madrid defender has successfully established himself as a mainstay of Carlo Ancelotti’s Los Blancos, winning three trophies in his first season, including the Copa Del Rey.
He has carved a reputation for being an all-action defender, always on the front foot during games, and bold with the risks he takes with the ball as well.
Intent on building on his success in the first season, Rudiger is looking to keep his teammates on their toes from day one, as seen in a training video.
Give Arda Güler a few months and Antonio Rudiger won’t be able to stop him like this. 🤍pic.twitter.com/tyaxf2VVt9
— Raphael A. Adjoke 🇬🇭 (@Silent_Wolf10) July 21, 2023
Fans of Real Madrid and neutrals alike online seem to be enjoying Rudiger’s aggression in training. Some were even amused by the intensity of his defending during a simple training session.
The video shows Rudiger first jockeying and then aggressively charging at the young Arda Guler, who recently joined Los Blancos from Fenerbahce.
Although Rudiger gets turned in the video, he manages to recover the ball from Guler with sheer force and strength, which has been eliciting reactions from fans.
One fan noted, “Facing Rudiger everyday in training must feel like torture.”
Another said, “Why does Rudiger play like he has a devil on each shoulder 😭”
Rudiger looks to be in top form once again as he prepares to help Ancelotti’s Los Blancos wrestle back the La Liga title from arch-rivals Barcelona, who were champions last season.
This incident in training isn’t the first time that Rudiger’s tenacity has gone viral. Last summer, the German’s aggression in training injured forward Eden Hazard, who was left on the floor, screaming in pain.
Thankfully for Guler and Real Madrid, this time around, there were no casualties.
Rudiger and his teammates will be in action next against AC Milan tomorrow as they kick-off their pre-season tour of the USA.