Antonio Rudiger reacts to Real Madrid drawing Chelsea in quarterfinals

Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger is relishing the chance to face his 'old friends' when his current team and the defending champions Real Madrid take on his former side Chelsea in the Champions League.

For the third straight season, the Spanish giants have been drawn against the Premier League giants in the competition. 

Chelsea and Real Madrid met for the first time in the semi-finals of the 2020-21 season, where Chelsea prevailed 3-1 on aggregate, and going ahead to win the competition under Thomas Tuchel.

The following year, Real Madrid took their revenge by eliminating the Blues in the quarterfinals, winning 5-4 on aggregate. 

Rudiger who sealed a move to the Spanish capital in the summer of 2022, featured in all four meetings with the Blues, scoring at the Santiago Bernabeu last year.

However, the 29-year-old German international is eager to face his former teammates at Chelsea.

The Madridsta took to Twitter on Friday and wrote: ‘This will be very special - Can't wait to see so many friends again ‘

Before his exit in 2022, Rudiger spent five years at Chelsea, making 203 appearances, including 133 in the Premier League, and won five titles, establishing himself as a club legend and a cult hero. 

However, he isn't the only former Blues player who will be coming up against their old team next month, as Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois are also expected to be in the squad to face Chelsea.

Courtois left Chelsea for Real Madrid in 2018, while Hazard followed suit a year later.