Real’s Rudiger Set to Miss Man City Champions League Clash

Football - Champions League - Brest v Real Madrid - Stade de Roudourou, Guingamp, France - January 29, 2025 Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Brest v Real Madrid - Stade de Roudourou, Guingamp, France - January 29, 2025 Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger. (Reuters)
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Real’s Rudiger Set to Miss Man City Champions League Clash

Football - Champions League - Brest v Real Madrid - Stade de Roudourou, Guingamp, France - January 29, 2025 Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger. (Reuters)
Football - Champions League - Brest v Real Madrid - Stade de Roudourou, Guingamp, France - January 29, 2025 Real Madrid's Antonio Rudiger. (Reuters)

Real Madrid center-half Antonio Rudiger is a major injury doubt for the titleholders' Champions League clash with Manchester City.

The German international suffered a right thigh injury and limped off in the first half of Real's 1-0 La Liga defeat to Espanyol on Saturday.

"Following tests carried out by Real Madrid's medical service Antonio Rudiger has been diagnosed with a muscle tear in his right leg," the club revealed on Sunday.

According to Spanish media reports the player is set to be sidelined for a minimum of two weeks, ruling him out of next week's La Liga game against Atletico Madrid, and the first leg of Real's Champions League play-off with City on February 11.

Rudiger's absence if confirmed will be a major blow to Carlo Ancelotti, who is already having to cope with the season-long absences of Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, both out for the rest of the season.

Pep Guardiola's City host Real in the first leg with the return in Madrid on February 19.



Spurs Midfielder Maddison Silences Critics with Winner Against Man United 

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Spurs Midfielder Maddison Silences Critics with Winner Against Man United 

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - February 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)

James Maddison delivered the perfect riposte to his doubters by scoring the winning goal against Manchester United after the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder had come in for some stinging criticism in the lead-up to Sunday's Premier League match.

Making his first start since suffering a calf injury in December, Maddison tapped in a rebound from close range to give his side a 1-0 win in London, celebrating his goal with a shushing gesture.

Earlier in the week, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane had said anyone who thought Maddison's return to the side would help Spurs break into the top six was living in "cuckoo land."

"He got relegated with Leicester and he'll get relegated with Spurs," Keane said on "The Overlap" podcast.

"There was a little bit of outside noise this week," Maddison, who joined Spurs from Leicester City in 2023, told Sky Sports.

"People will have their opinions, but I wanted to do my talking on the pitch. I hope there is a certain few that enjoyed me being the match-winner today.

"Nobody is more critical of myself than me," he added.

"To be fair to the gaffer, he always talks about blocking out the outside noise, but sometimes it's difficult, you know. It's constantly in your face, social media and WhatsApp."

Despite the win Spurs remain in the bottom half of the table, sitting in 12th spot on 30 points after 25 games. They visit Ipswich Town on Saturday.