"An important piece of the team" - Antonio Rudiger dedicates iconic chair celebration to Real Madrid teammate
Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger has dedicated Los Blancos' celebrations to teammate David Alaba after their win over Bayern Munich. The Spanish giants won 2-1 on Wednesday night (May 8).
Real Madrid earned a come-from-behind win at the Santiago Bernabeu in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final clash. They progressed to the final with a 4-3 aggregate win and will play Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
After the game, Rudiger brought in a chair to celebrate inside the pitch. This was the same move Alaba made after Los Blancos defeated Liverpool in the 2021-22 Champions League final in Paris.
Rudiger has now said that his celebration was a tribute to Alaba, who is currently sidelined with an ACL injury. The German centre-back told CBS Sports after the stellar win against Bayern (via Madrid Zone on X):
"The chair celebration was for David Alaba. He is an important piece of the team, and the chair had to be brought up so the fans could cheer him up."
Alaba suffered an ACL injury mid-season and has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign. Eder Militao suffered a similar injury at the start of the season and was sidelined for an extended period.
In the two central defender's absence, Rudiger has been a constant starter for Real Madrid. This is the first time he has been an undisputed starter during his stay at the club.
The Germany international has taken the opportunity with open hands and has turned in quality performances match after match. Rudiger has made 43 appearances across competitions for Los Blancos this season, helping them keep 18 clean sheets.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have already won the La Liga title and have now reached the UEFA Champions League final.
Antonio Rudiger posts social media message after Real Madrid's triumph
Antonio Rudiger sent a confident message on social media after Real Madrid earned a dramatic win against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-final.
Rudiger is raring to go to Wembley, judging by his post.
"Wembley we are coming!!! We are in the final! This is Real Madrid!!!" the German wrote.
Los Blancos have now reached the final 18 times in their illustrious history, nine times in the Champions League era. This will be the first time they will play Borussia Dortmund in the final.
Real Madrid are aiming to win the competition for a record-extending 15 times.