04 January 2024 , 19:59
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Mesut Ozil has branded Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger the best defender in the world and criticised Chelsea for letting him leave.
Rudiger spent five seasons at Stamford Bridge, helping Chelsea win the Champions League, Europa League and the FA Cup, before leaving to join the Spanish giants on a free transfer 18 months ago.
Real are currently top of La Liga, having beaten Mallorca 1-0 on Wednesday thanks to a goal from Rudiger. Speaking after the game, manager Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for the Germany international.
"He has taken advantage of others' injuries," Ancelotti said. "He is performing at a very high level, with continuity. He is always ready in duels. He is an insurance that we have behind. He is playing at his best."
Responding to Ancelotti's comments on social media, Ozil said: "Prime Toni Rudiger is just the world's best defender at the moment. Incredible season for my former club Real Madrid. You can also ask Haaland or Osimhen how good he is!
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"Look what has happened with Chelsea after he left … they are missing his mentality every day …" Although Rudiger ultimately left on a free transfer when his contract expired, the 30-year-old was critical of Chelsea in an article he wrote for The Players' Tribune where he suggested the club could have made more of an effort to convince him to stay.
"Unfortunately, my contract negotiations had already started to get difficult last fall," Rudiger wrote. "Business is business, but when you don't hear any news from the club from August to January, the situation becomes complicated.
"After the first offer, there was a long gap of just nothing. We're not robots, you know? You cannot wait for months with so much uncertainty about your future. Obviously, no one saw the sanctions coming, but in the end, other big clubs were showing interest, and I had to make a decision.
"I will leave it at that, because business aside, I have nothing bad to say about this club. Chelsea will always be in my heart. London will always be my home. I came here alone, and now I have a wife and two beautiful kids.
"I also have a new brother for life named Kova [Mateo Kovacic]. I have an FA Cup, a Europa League and a Champions League medal. And of course, I have hundreds of memories that will stay with me forever."