Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger: 'It's a dream come true'
For Antonio Rudiger, the transfer to Chelsea represents a welcome milestone on his long road back from serious injury. It comes with a sense of destiny.
He had been close to moving to Stamford Bridge last year when he damaged knee ligaments in training with Germany ahead of Euro 2016.
He was robbed of the biggest moment in his career when forced out of the tournament in France but the £32million move from Roma to London was able to be revived. 'A dream come true,' he admits.
Also, an escape from the racism which he found impossible to ignore in Italian football, speaking out with courage and eloquence.
'You feel alone,' said Rudiger, reflecting from Singapore on one of Serie A's big problems and the extremes of emotion he endured in the last 12 months.
Antonio Rudigers transfer to Chelsea is a milestone on his long road back from serious injury.
'I can keep my focus but people love to say, 'Stay calm' or 'Don't do anything'. It is easy for you to say those things when you are not black and you never feel what it is like.
You cannot even put yourself in my position of how that feels. In that moment it is like this and you are alone. You have to be strong. Each human is different.
Someone takes it and doesn't react, others react. I can understand both.'.
Having been racially abused by Lazio's Senad Lulic last season, Rudiger refused to stay silent about the problems in Serie A and called on the authorities to do more to wipe it out. Bosnian Lulic was fined and banned for 20 days.
'Not all Italian people are racist,' says Rudiger, pictured with Inter coach Luciano Spalletti. 'Not all Italian people are racist,' said Rudiger.
'For me, I just want justice. I want FIFA or the FA in Italy just to suspend those people who do that.
If we always talk about racism in Italy, people think that all Italians are racist people — and it is not like that.
I just mean those specific people who do that. It is not all. But those people need to be banned from the stadium or fined.'.
Rudiger had been close to moving to Stamford Bridge last year when he damaged his knee. Rudiger has been with his new Chelsea team-mates since Tuesday, joining late for pre-season after international duty in the Confederations Cup.
He made his first appearance on Saturday in a friendly against Inter Milan.
'Of course, it's a dream to be here,' he said. 'I always wanted to play here in the Premier League and it is many years since my name was first linked to Chelsea.'.
Rudiger made his first appearance on Saturday in a friendly against Inter Milan in Singapore.
Asked whether he would have moved last summer without the injury, he said: 'You never know, maybe. ' He certainly missed the chance to perform in the Euros. It could have been the biggest moment of my career,' he said.
'At that moment it was sad. I knew then that I had to work to get stronger. And this is what happened. I believe in God and everything has its time.
So one year later I won the Confederations Cup and one year later I'm at Chelsea. I'm very happy and want to thank all the people that made this come true.'.
Rudiger has called his £32 million move from Roma to Stamford Bridge 'a dream come true'.
Rudiger, 24, was born in Berlin after his mother fled the civil war in Sierra Leone. He joined the youth ranks at Borussia Dortmund, where his half-brother Sahr Senesie started his career, before moving to Stuttgart.
Like Senesie, he played up front in his youth and idolised Thierry Henry.
'I was not a tall guy, I was small,' said Rudiger. 'I used to play on the wings or as a striker but that changed at the age of 16. I started to grow. The coach moved me into defence.'.
His physique and athleticism ought to be great assets in the English game and his versatility, able to operate at centre-half or full-back, will be valued by manager Antonio Conte.
'I have no experienced the Premier League yet but the Italian league is more tactical,' said Rudiger. 'You don't have the open games as you do in England with both teams attacking the whole time.
Having been racially abused by Lazio's Senad Lulic last season Rudiger refused to stay silent.
Rudiger is already working hard for his new club as the 2017-18 season fast approaches. 'That is the main two differences between the two leagues and, of course, the physical aspect in England.
You need to prepare for a physical game. There are a lot strikers, Jamie Vardy and Romelu Lukaku, where you look at them and it is a challenge.'.
Conte will prepare him well. Chelsea players are calling the defender Rudi and he added: 'It was a very warm welcome, very respectful.
It has only been a few days really but it is very good. I'm looking forward to working, working, working..
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