Premier League

Former Chelsea defender admits to making mistakes to get the crowd into the game

A former international caliber defender at Chelsea did not like the crowd at Stamford Bridge getting stale and made mistakes to get them into the game.

September 21, 2022 12:09PM EDT

**© Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images**Chelsea fans wave flags prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and West Ham United at Stamford Bridge on September 03, 2022 in London, England.

Antonio Rüdiger is considered by many to be one of the best defenders in the world. The Real Madrid player has been a rock at the back for all four teams he has played for.

That is why it was eye-raising to hear that the former Chelsea defender would intentionally make mistakes to get the, at times, quiet crowd at Stamford Bridge into a match. In an interview with Sport in Germany, Antonio Rüdiger admitted to making deliberate mistakes during a match against Newcastle United.

‘I’ll be honest: I deliberately made a few mistakes because it was just too quiet in the stadium for me during this game, I wanted to wake people up with it.”

Antonio Rüdiger on getting opponents riled up

Antonio Rüdiger also admitted that he had tactics to get the opposition riled up while playing against him. ‘I like to analyze my opponents and think to myself: “Okay, let’s see how they react if I provoke them a bit”. ‘But it’s not like I pick someone before every game. That happens spontaneously.’

Antonio Rüdiger (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Since his move to Real Madrid, Rüdiger continues his world class form having played 6 games and scored 1 goal for the Spanish giants in LaLiga. Rüdiger won five titles during his time at Chelsea.

Kelvin Loyola

Kelvin Loyola is a seasoned content writer and journalist at Bolavip, boasting over 15 years of experience in sports journalism and marketing. He has covered a wide array of sports including the USMNT, MLS, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Liga MX, as well as the NBA, MLB, NHL, and various entertainment topics. Prior to his journalism and marketing career, Kelvin worked in post-production, contributing to numerous movie, television, and digital projects. He also brings expertise in project management, social media, and web development. A graduate of Queens College with a degree in Media Studies, Kelvin is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish. His passions extend beyond his career to include soccer, marketing, photography, surfing, and pop culture, particularly comics.