‘I faced Messi and Ronaldo – let me tell you who my toughest opponent really was’

Ex-Chelsea ace Antonio Rudiger has singled out Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero as the most formidable adversary he’s encountered. The German international and current Real Madrid star, who has enjoyed a glittering career amoungst Europe’s elite, made the switch after a post-triumphant Champions League campaign with Chelsea to the Bernabeu in 2022.

Throughout his career, Rudiger has squared off against some of the world’s premier forwards, trading blows with the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on four occasions each – and one might assume either of the pair would top his list of most challenging opponents.

Yet, the 31-year-old defender instead gave the nod to another diminutive Argentine maestro, City hero Aguero, as the player he dreaded facing the most during his time in the Premier League.

“Kun Aguero gave me a lot of headaches,” the former Chelsea defender revealed on the The Inside Scoop YouTube channel. “He was really tough to play against.”

Rudiger and Aguero have crossed paths seven times, once internationally and the remainder in English club competition. In these encounters, the now-retired Aguero tallied six goals, including a memorable Premier League hat-trick as part of a 6-0 thrashing – and triumphed in five of their battles.

Nevertheless, Rudiger may find some solace in their final confrontation – which saw him emerge victorious under the guidance of newly appointed England manager Thomas Tuchel – as his Chelsea team clinched the Champions League title in 2021, leaving Aguero’s City in ruins.

The decision to exclude both Ronaldo and Messi from his list of top players may raise eyebrows, but Rudiger has justified his choice by suggesting the pair are almost superhuman, reports the Mirror.

“I could say Messi or Ronaldo, but for me, they are from a different planet,” Rudiger confessed. “We all know that. We go with human beings.”

When quizzed about the most talented player he’s had the pleasure of playing alongside, Rudiger didn’t hesitate to name his ex-colleague at Real Madrid and current Al-Ittihad star Karim Benzema.

“The best player I have played with is Karim Benzema,” Rudiger declared. “I can say Luka Modric, Toni Kroos or Eden Hazard, but I’m going to say Benzema. He was a hell of a striker. His intelligence… He was world-class.”

Rudiger encountered his former Real Madrid ally Benzema on six occasions before joining forces with him under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, with Benzema often emerging on the winning side more often than not.

The Frenchman notably breached Rudiger’s defence five times during those matches, including a hat-trick in the 2021/2022 Champions League quarter-final second leg, helping Real Madrid overcome a challenge from Chelsea – the team that had ousted them the previous year en route to their European crown.

In that successful campaign under Tuchel, Rudiger experienced his sole victory over Benzema, discounting aggregate scores, with a 2-0 win on Stamford Bridge’s home turf.