Fans have noticed the ‘brilliant’ moment Antonio Rudiger helped Andriy Lunin save ex-Chelsea teammate Mateo Kovacic’s penalty.
Real Madrid reached the Champions League semi-finals for the fourth year in a row, beating Manchester City 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 4-4 on aggregate following extra time.
Lunin had an extra helping hand from Kovacic’s self-proclaimed best friendCredit: AFP
Former Chelsea teammates Rudiger and Kovacic, who left Stamford Bridge in 2022 and 2023 respectively, went head-to-head the Etihad.
But despite playing with each other for three years and winning the Champions League together, fans have spotted the moment Rudiger helped end Kovacic and his side’s run in the competition.
The pressure was on for the City star as he prepared to take his spot-kick, with Bernardo Silva already missing to keep the score in the shootout level following Luka Modric’s initial miss.
Rudiger, who waited on the half way line in the Real Madrid huddle, was seen signalling to Los Blancos goalkeeper Lunin, pointing to the left, appearing to suggest which way Kovacic would shoot.
His knowledge on his former Chelsea teammate appeared to pay off, with Lunin getting down on that side to save the penalty.
Modric was then seen smiling up at Rudiger as the ex-Blues defender celebrated.
Chelsea fans made note of their former player’s antics, too.
“Rudiger said Kovacic was his best friend and then told Lunin where Kovacic was gonna shoot for his penalty!” one wrote on X.
Rudiger pointed the way he thought Kovacic would shootCredit: TNT Sports
He celebrated the missCredit: TNT Sports
A second added: “Rudiger telling Lunin where Kovacic will play his kick. They both played at Chelsea before. Brilliant.”
“Rudiger still knows how Kovacic takes his penalties,” a third said.
Since joining Real Madrid, Rudiger revealed in an interview that Kovacic is still his closest friend in the sport.
“My best friend in football is Mateo Kovacic,” he told Madrid’s official YouTube channel.
But thanks to Lunin’s penalty heroics and Rudiger’s helping hand, Real Madrid will now face Bayern Munich – who saw off Arsenal on the same night – in the semi-finals.