Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has revealed he was left mind blown by a motivation trick from his brother, which ultimately prompted his move from Chelsea.
The German defender swapped Chelsea for Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer, bringing an end to a five-year spell with the Blues.
He had established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League during his time at Stamford Bridge, particularly under Thomas Tuchel’s tutelage.
That had not gone unnoticed by the big clubs around Europe, who were all hovering when it was clear he would be available on a free transfer this summer.
Juventus, Bayern Munich and several Premier League sides were all thought to be keen on his signature, but it was Real Madrid who won the race, securing the defender on a four-year deal until 2026.
They had first-hand experience of playing against Rudiger, having come up against Chelsea in the quarterfinals of the Champions League last season.
That was a tie that Chelsea ultimately lost but for Rudiger it was the moment the idea of a move to Madrid became concrete, thanks to a mind trick from his brother, who is also his agent.
“It really became concrete at the end of April,” he told Sport 1.
“Before everything was clear, however, my brother led me around by the nose a bit. We had played with Chelsea against Real in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
“After the first leg defeat, he suddenly said to me: ‘Toni, I don’t know if this is going to work out! In the second leg, you have to show everything you’ve got to make the switch work.’
“My mind was blown, and that spurred me on.”
