How Antonio Rüdiger helped Andriy Lunin save ex-Chelsea teammate Kovačić’s penalty | OneFootball

The role played by Antonio Rüdiger in aiding teammate Andriy Lunin during the penalty shootout between Real Madrid and Manchester City on Wednesday has been revealed.

Real, of course, are fresh off sending reigning holders Man City packing from the Champions League.

As much comes owing to a penalty shootout downing of Pep Guardiola’s men at The Etihad.

After the two sides could not be separated across a full 210 minutes over the two legs, the headline tie of the quarter-finals was decided from 12 yards.

And it was the aforementioned Lunin who proved himself the decisive figure, in keeping out not one, but two of the hosts’ five spot-kicks.

One such save came at the expense of Mateo Kovačić, whose effort Lunin did well to get down low to his right to keep out.

The Ukrainian, though, it has since been revealed, was afforded a helping hand on his way to as much by another member of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad.

The player in question comes in the form of Antonio Rüdiger.

Having previously played alongside Kovačić during a shared stint in the Premier League with Chelsea, Rüdiger is evidently familiar with the Croatian’s tendencies from the penalty spot.

As the City star approached the ball on Wednesday night, stopper Rüdiger, in turn, was spotted signalling to Lunin the direction in which Kovačić was set to place his effort.

The German’s call proved the correct one, and the rest, as they say, is history…

Conor Laird | GSFN