The former manager of clubs including 1860 Munich, Cologne, Gladbach, Hannover, Bielefeld, Rostock and St. Pauli immediately took aim at half of Real Madrid’s star-studded squad. “There were five or six blows to the face that Arda Güler, Brahim Díaz and Eder Militão claim to have suffered during some sort of running duel,” he said, drawing a parallel with Rüdiger, who had repeatedly intervened. “It’s disrespectful the way he runs around on the pitch!”
Rüdiger himself had been involved in a separate on-field altercation. Just before Kylian Mbappé’s 3–2 strike, the Germany international had brought Bayern’s Josip Stanisic crashing to the ground with a challenge that merited a yellow card, then, during his team’s celebrations, leaned in toward the Croatian defender. Afterward, the 26-year-old Stanisic claimed Rüdiger had insulted him. “In my opinion, that kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable. Only one word was said—and that twice. But you can ask him yourself what he said. Perhaps he’s man enough to admit it.”
That, Lienen believes, is another reason why national team coach Julian Nagelsmann should leave the centre-back at home for the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. “That incident showed such a lack of respect that it reinforced my belief he should not be put in the position of making that transatlantic journey. It’s dangerous over there,” fumed the 72-year-old.
Rüdiger also clashed with Alphonso Davies. At half-time, with Stanisic booked and replaced by the Canadian, Davies was waiting on the touchline for the referee’s signal when Rüdiger slapped his left hand across his face then shoved him aside.