Rüdiger: "Against Liverpool we have to find the right balance between defending and attacking"

Rüdiger spoke to the media ahead of the Champions League round of 16 second leg against Liverpool. The player said: "It was very hard for me to play at the Bernabéu last year due to the result. I've never experienced a comeback like Real Madrid's before. It was an amazing atmosphere and I'm even happier that I'm part of Real Madrid now".
 
"Playing against Real Madrid last year I could sense that the Bernabéu is something different. The fans and the players are incredible in the big games. It's an honour for me to be part of this and to develop and learn from other experienced players like Benzema, Modrić and Kroos".

This match against Liverpool
"We have to make a better start to this game than we did at Anfield. We have to find the right balance between defending and attacking. It's very important that we're not caught napping in the first 15 minutes. We have to strike the right balance. It's very important for us to not just go out and defend. We have to give our fans something to be happy about and we have to build confidence too".

 Demands
"Given the club's history it's not easy to play here as there's a lot of pressure due to the club's history. But you grow and learn from it".
 
Vini Jr
"He has to stay focused on his game, when he does that he's one of the best. It's also difficult when the opponents provoke you that much. It's a learning process he's going through. The referees need to do a better job where he's concerned, treat everybody the same".

Comebacks
"Everyone knows that Real Madrid mount some very good comebacks. Thanks to Benzema, Vinicius, they've got a lot of quality. There's not a lot to say. My coaches used to say to me that you're playing against the best and they'll always demonstrate that this team is something bigger".

Evaluation since his signing
"There's been a lot of new things. At my first press conference I've never seen that many people. Everything is way bigger than it used to be, with the utmost respect to all the clubs I've played for, who have been fantastic. The rest of the team, the trophy room, the president... Everything is massive, but they're humble and very nice people".

Liverpool's forward line
"They've got a very good attack. They've played against a big side like Manchester United and scored seven goals. They're a good team and we have to be mindful of that".

Leader in the dressing room
"The young players are really nice and it's easy to share the experience with them. They're keen to learn. They're very friendly and I try to help the younger players when I can. It's not about being a leader, it's about being a good teammate".

Improving defensively
"You get criticised when you concede goals and that's alright, it's not a problem. We have to be better in that respect and we're working on it".