The German Antonio Rüdiger, Real Madrid's defender, enters the anticipated match against Manchester City in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, bearing the responsibility of leading the royal team's backline in one of the toughest continental encounters.

Despite Real Madrid's 3-0 victory in the first leg, Rudiger understands that the outcome is not yet decided against the English champions, emphasizing that the team must maintain full focus to advance to the next round.

The German defender is experiencing a remarkable period both technically and physically, having become one of the key pillars in Real Madrid's defense. This is due to his ability to handle top attackers, alongside his leadership role on the field, especially with the presence of several young players who have started to get more opportunities to participate.

During the press conference preceding the anticipated match, Rüdiger spoke about several aspects related to the game, as well as his role within the team and his stance on some other issues.

Rüdiger said about the possibility of resorting to penalty kicks: "I hope we don't reach that stage, but I am fully prepared to take responsibility, and if I have to take a shot, I will do so again without any problems."

He added, speaking about his repeated battles with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland: "I have faced him several times; he is a world-class and very strong player. Personally, I enjoy these physical battles. In my first season, I realized that I could win this challenge and maintain my level against him."

The Real Madrid defender continued his talk about the team's mentality, saying: "We must always have this spirit, not just tomorrow. We win together and lose together, and we must always make the right decisions on the field."

Rüdiger also spoke about his role with the young players on the team, explaining: "As a veteran player, my duty is to take responsibility and relieve the pressure on the young players. The coach does a great job of giving them confidence, but they also need to realize that they are at the beginning of their journey and are not yet Sergio Ramos or Paolo Maldini."

Regarding the incident where he made a strong challenge on player Diego Rico, Rudiger said: "The slow-motion images look terrifying, but I didn't go in with the intention to hurt him. I love playing with intensity, but I have limits that I don't cross, and I wasn't sent off because the referee saw that I didn't intentionally injure him."

Regarding the negotiations for renewing his contract with Real Madrid, the German defender said: "I feel respected here and I appreciate that a lot. I love Real Madrid and I'm sure we will reach an agreement, but now is not the right time to talk about contracts. The most important thing is that I am healthy and doing my job."

Rüdiger continued discussing his physical condition and readiness for the match, saying: "I faced some minor issues, but they are now in the past. If you look at my recent matches, you'll see that I'm performing well, and I feel at the peak of my readiness to help the team at this crucial time of the season."

The Real Madrid defender concluded his remarks by discussing the keys to winning the title, saying: "I have won the Champions League with Madrid before, and we train for these moments. If you want to become a champion, you have to play and win against strong teams like Manchester City."