Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti joked he did not know who Antonio Rudiger was when asked about the defender’s transfer rumour.
It has been widely reported the German international is heading to the Spanish club after he couldn’t agree a new contract with current club Chelsea.
But Ancelotti remained coy about the news after his side’s slim 4-3 loss to Manchester City in their first leg of the Champions League semi-final.
“Toni Rudiger? Toni who? Who’s this?” Ancelotti said with a laugh to beIN Sports. “He’s still a Chelsea player. I can’t say anything about this.”
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has confirmed Rudiger will leave the club at the end of the season. The manager was insistent they tried to keep him at the Blues but an agreement couldn’t be reached.
“We fought hard; I fought hard on a personal level,” Tuchel said. “We made big offers to him, and the club tried everything. But for some weeks we cannot fight any more because we have the sanctions. We cannot adjust. We cannot continue, and so it is what it is.”
And he added: “He deserves my full support because he delivered incredible performances right until today. I’m just happy that I had the chance to coach him and to have him in the team. Because he was nothing but brilliant.”
Rudiger joined Chelsea in 2017 and can still help them secure silverware this season as they are in the FA Cup final. The Blues will play Liverpool in the final on 15 May where they will attempt to end their rivals’ bid for the quadruple.
The Reds are chasing down Man City in the Premier League, they have already won the Carabao Cup and are in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
