The night that Real Madrid survived Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabéu was a revelation for Carlo Ancelotti that ended up affecting Antonio Rüdiger.

That April 12, Nacho and Alaba came out as central defenders, because Militão was serving a sanction for the yellow card he had seen in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard had to retire with muscle problems in the 87th minute, and Madrid found themselves heading into extra time with Dani Carvajal as central defender, the first time in his life that he had tried the position.

The emergency arrangement went well, with a very good performance by Carvajal, but the rush left Ancelotti deeply uneasy.

The team should not continue to manage at that level with a catalog of central defenders that Vallejo completed.

The Italian then recalled that many months earlier the club had explored the possibility of signing Rüdiger, who only had one year left on his contract at Chelsea.

The 29-year-old German recalled this Monday in his presentation as a Real Madrid footballer until 2026: "The first time I had contact, not me but my agent, was at the beginning of September."

That road died immediately.

The agent, Sahr Senesie, who is also his half-brother, transferred economic ambitions far from the Madrid scale, both in terms of a substantial transfer bonus and salary, above 12 million euros net per year.

Interest instantly cooled.

Until Rüdiger played for the first time at the Bernabéu on April 12, he scored 0-2 and watched as Chelsea, his team at the time, was eliminated against Madrid with a defense made up of patches: Lucas Vázquez, Carvajal, Marcelo.

“We scored the third goal and the atmosphere was still positive.

That was very impressive”, recalled the German.

That night planted a doubt in his head: "Playing in a team like that...", he sighed this Monday.

After that tie, when reviewing the game, Ancelotti remembered Rüdiger, and that at that point in the year he still hadn't signed with any club for the following season.

Then, the Italian coach telephoned the center-back directly, who on Monday underlined the importance of the talk: “Speaking with Ancelotti was the most important moment.

I said: 'I want to play for this team and with this coach.'

The Madrid coach explained why he wanted him and for what, that he saw him as a very important player, and that his style of play fit perfectly with what he was looking for for the team.

“He told me that he loved me, that he trusted my abilities and that I could help him and the team.

Honestly, at my age that's enough.

And in the end, we are talking about Mister Ancelotti”, he recounted.

Barca's interest

The Italian also told him that he believed that this was a unique opportunity for him.

Rüdiger agreed: “At Madrid it's about winning.

It is what they have shown in recent years very often.

Now they have won the Champions League.

Although there were many doubts outside the club, they got it last year.

And it's impressive,” he said.

"And I want to be a part of this."

At some point, Barça was also interested in him, as confirmed on Monday, but Ancelotti's courtship had had an effect: "I told my brother it was Real or nothing."

After speaking with the Italian, who mentioned the difficulties posed by the financial claims transferred in September so that they could work together, Rüdiger instructed his agent to lower the cache, which revived interest in the Valdebebas offices.

The German did not even see the need to consult his former teammates who were already in Madrid: Courtois and Hazard, with whom he coincided at Chelsea, and Kroos, with whom he has played on the German team.

“They can tell you something, but you have to decide for yourself.

I didn't talk to them,” he recounted.

So on May 10, the German had already passed the medical examination and had committed to Real Madrid.

Almost three weeks later, when the Whites played the Champions League final against Liverpool in Paris, Rüdiger had no doubt who he was going with: “What Madrid did in the Champions League this year, I don't know how to describe it, it was incredible.

In the final I already knew that he was going to be a Real Madrid player, and I was supporting them, and it made me very happy that they won.

I lost two finals against Liverpool with my previous team”, he recounted.

In the conversation with Ancelotti they also talked about his fit in the team, despite the fact that Militão and Alaba had played that season at a very high level.

The Italian pointed out the versatility of Alaba, who can play as a left back, a position in which he was once last year, and where he had used it the most when they coincided at Bayern.

He did not guarantee him to always play, but he made him understand that he wanted him with him so that it would be important.

Rüdiger isn't scared by the level of the other centre-backs: “I'm confident.

I bring competition, which is healthy for everyone.

I fancy the challenge,” he said.

“I try to enjoy the pressure.

I feel lucky to be here and do what I love.

It's good to have this kind of pressure.

I have experienced a different one, fighting for permanence.

This one is different.

This pressure is good.”

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