Germany defender Antonio Rudiger believes his team will have to play “a little dirty” against a star-studded France attack in their Euro 2020 opener on Tuesday.
The match is both teams’ first in what is being called the Group of Death at the tournament, with Portugal and Hungary also in the mix.
Rudiger is expected to start the match alongside Mats Hummels and Matthias Ginter in Germany’s back three and will face the likes of Kylian Mbappe in the tense clash.
The Chelsea star knows exactly what challenge is ahead of him and has come out with fighting talk ahead of the match.
(Image: Lars Baron)
He said: “Of course, they have good forwards, we have to be ready to win the one-on-one challenges. We have to be a little dirty, not always be nice or try to play nice football.
“Against players like them, you have to throw down a marker.”
Rudiger, who ended his club season by winning the Champions League, added he will still be wearing his protective mask.
The 28-year-old added: “It’s still there for protection. I’ll have to see what the Chelsea doctors say when I get back to London.”
While fans and pundits alike are excited for the game, the attention in the build-up has been on France and the in-fighting going on in the team.
Olivier Giroud complained about the lack of service he was given in France’s 3-0 victory over Belgium in a warm-up match.
He said: “I was a little quiet because, sometimes, I make runs and the balls aren’t forthcoming.
“I am not saying that I always make the best runs but I am seeking to offer solutions in the box.”
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And Mbappe has publicly hit back saying his teammate should not have spoken to reporters about the complaint.
The PSG star said: “It’s not what he said. Frankly, what he said doesn’t bother me. I’m a striker and it’s an opinion. He is expressing an opinion when he speaks. It doesn’t bother me.
“I’m a striker and I’ve had this feeling 365 times in a game and I will have it again, when you feel you’re not getting the service [of the ball]. It’s more about making it public.
“He’s a striker, he wants to score goals, he’s near a record and when you’re a striker, whether you like it or not, it gets into your head. If he could have scored another goal he would have done so.
“But making it [the argument] public…I would have preferred to let him come and be even more vocal in the changing room. It’s happened to me. We have known each other for a while.
“You know what I am like in the changing room. If I have something to say to someone I say it. That’s not a problem but it stays in the changing room. But it’s not a problem, these are small trifles.
“And I don’t want this preparation, which has started well – because we have played some good matches – to be spoiled or for the squad to be affected because the squad doesn’t need this. We have some difficult challenges to face and we don’t need to create our own obstacles.”
