Real Madrid enjoyed a nearly perfect night on Wednesday against Napoli, winning 4-2 and securing top spot in their Champions League group. An imperious Jude Bellingham led the way, followed by an excellent Rodrygo Goes and debutant Nico Paz. Carlo Ancelotti was not delighted with his side’s defending, and it could have gotten them into more trouble had VAR intervened against Antonio Rudiger.
The German defender has a reputation for a physical approach, but as he cleared a ball in the second half, Rudiger followed through on Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski. The Polish midfielder was replaced with an injury by Eljif Elmas shortly after, meanwhile the referee did not see fit to punish the challenge which saw Rudiger’s studs connect with Zielinski on his upper thigh.
It was an almost perfect night for Real Madrid last night against Napoli, but things could have gone differently.
Antonio Rudiger escaped punishment for this challenge on Piotr Zielinski, which saw the latter exit with an injury.#RealMadridpic.twitter.com/qdz1jnUNNZ
— Football España (@footballespana_) November 30, 2023
Refereeing expert Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez told Diario AS that in his view, Rudiger was lucky.
“For me it is red. It is a play that a player can explain to you better than a referee. Rudiger clears and leaves his leg up because he knows he is going to hit the opponent. With the clearance, he camouflages the serious rough play.”
It would have been no great disaster had Rudiger missed their final Champions League group game against Union Berlin, although it would have deprived him of a trip to his home city. Yet had Rudiger been sent off for a straight red, it would have exposed him to a longer ban, and a potential suspension carrying over to Round of 16.
You know its bad when even steve mcmanaman while commentating on the match admitted it was nasty he didn’t like it and he should have gone lol.
How does Etturdaldo know that it was his intention? Give the man a job within legal system, since he apparently can read minds. Crime cases are dismissed because of difficulties to prove intent but this guy knows it off the bat.
Here is a hypothesis: since Rudiger delayed his leg in full swing with intent to connect so did Zielinsky run into his swing with intent to cost him a yellow or worse. He could have blocked the ball just as good if he didn’t take an extra step towards him because of the angle.
Good thing Etturdaldo counts bottles nowadays instead of fouls.
Wow.. could this mc trash be more delusional…
1-2 and more CLs than entire epl, racist subhuman mong with aut. Ism, sch.zop. renia and profound mentaI issues.🫵😆
“With the clearance, he camouflages the serious rough play.”
— This describes a lot of top defenders throughout history (and current). In fact some of these players have gone on to become (top) managers and their entire team personality is built on that trait. It is legal nevertheless and although in slow motion replay frame 313 might reveal a different reality, it cannot prove intent.
Accept another truth – only Real Madrid players get this spotlight. It is a way to devalue a Real Madrid win.
Good point. But there is more.
Look at his eyes on 0:05 and cameras purposefully deceiving zoom in after – he had his eyes on the ball the entire time.
Clumsy? Yes. Intentional? Nope.
The clip proves nothing other than Etturdaldo sleeps in bribELona branded adult diapers, once more.