Rüdiger Rejects Diego Rico Assault Claims, Calls Statements Exaggerated

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger has accused Getafe player Diego Rico of exaggerating the description of a challenge between them two weeks ago, asserting that his intervention was not intended to cause harm. The German defender explained that slow-motion replays might make the incident appear terrible, but they do not reflect the actual reality of the collision, which involved his knee making contact with the Getafe defender's head. He simultaneously stressed that the incident did not warrant a red card.

Antonio Rüdiger stated his position, saying: “I saw the replay in slow motion and it looks terrible, but if you watch the game itself, I won't argue with him, but I didn't kill him, and he shouldn't exaggerate the contact, because if I had the intention to injure him, I would have done so.” The Real Madrid defender continued, justifying his playing style by adding: “It wasn't a red card, and why wasn't I sent off? I never intended to hurt him; I like to be strong when I play, but I have limits that I do not cross, and that's why I think those statements are a bit exaggerated.”

These defenses come at a time when the Referees Committee of the Spanish Football Federation confirmed, in the week following the match, that Rüdiger deserved to be sent off for that challenge. Despite this delayed confirmation, the VAR room had decided not to intervene in the incident during the match, allowing the Real Madrid player to escape immediate punishment on the night his team suffered a defeat against Getafe.

For his part, Diego Rico had previously stated that he could have remained lying on the grass if the collision had hit him directly, considering that if the roles were reversed, he might have faced a 10-match suspension. In response, Rüdiger urged his La Liga colleague to calm down and not inflate matters, expressing his belief that Rico should have been more humble in describing what happened.