Real Madrid News
Official: Real Madrid squad list to face AC Milan
Real Madrid will return to action tomorrow night after a ten-day break as they get set to take on AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu in the UEFA Champions League.
It will be Los Blancos’ first match after the 0-4 mauling at the hands of FC Barcelona in El Clasico as their weekend La Liga encounter against Valencia was postponed.
Ahead of the contest against his former employers, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has announced the squad list of players that will be at his disposal tomorrow.
And, the big news is that forward Rodrygo Goes is back in the squad after recovering from a muscle injury ahead of schedule. The Brazilian returns after missing just one game – the Clasico defeat.
Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger, who suffered from muscle overload after the Clasico, is also fit and available and in the squad list. Thibaut Courtois remains unavailable, however, as do Dani Carvajal and David Alaba.
Sergio Mestre and Fran Gonzalez are the only two youth talents called up by Ancelotti, with Jesus Fortea being with the Juvenil A setup for their crucial Youth League clash against Milan.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) November 4, 2024
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Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
