Toni Rudiger is the bogeyman of center forwards in the Champions League. His compatriot Niclas Fullkrug knows this well, and on Saturday he is ready to give him a hard time in the most important match, the Champions League final which will be played at Wembley: “He’s a good boy, I love him. I like him because he’s very honest, even if he’s aggressive. In training he’s the same: he’s a natural leader. He comes towards you and it seems like he wants to kill you (laughs, ed.). But I’m like that too and I love playing against this type of opponent,” he said in the long interview issued to Brand.
Are you impressed by the 14 European Cups won by Real?
“You can say that it is the strongest team in the world, with a gigantic history, but that is precisely what makes this final more captivating. Everyone wants to play these matches. It will be a beautiful, perfect final, in a historic stadium”
Reus will leave Dortmund and Kroos retires. For one of the two there will be no perfect ending.
“Two incredible careers, two legends. They both deserve to win. And normally I would tell you that Kroos deserves the Champions League, because for me he is one of the best players in history. But this time I hope Marco wins.”
So would you sign for the Champions League for Reus and the Ballon d’Or for Kroos?
“What I would sign would be the Champions League for Reus and the European Championship for Kroos, so I would win both titles (laughs, ed.)”.