New Footage has Emerged of Antonio Rudiger Appearing to Pinch Jack Grealish During Man City Thriller from intermediate 2020 result ts Watch Video

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✓ Published: 12-Apr-2024

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New footage has emerged of Antonio Rudiger appearing to pinch Jack Grealish during the pair's feisty encounter when Manchester City met Real Madrid on Tuesday evening. <br/><br/>There was little to separate the two sides as the hosts were held to a 3-3 draw at the Bernabeu in an instant classic. <br/><br/>Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for the visitors after just two minutes, before an own goal from Ruben Dias and Rodrygo's strike pulled Madrid back in front. <br/><br/><br/>Pep Guardiola's side swiped back the lead via Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol in the second half, but Federico Valverde's 79th-minute volley restored parity and set up a second-leg decider at the Etihad next Wednesday. <br/><br/>But one aspect of the tie Man City midfielder Jack Grealish is likely not looking forward to is another encounter with Real Madrid's mischievous defender Rudiger. <br/><br/>The former Chelsea man had no qualms about using every tactic in his arsenal to unsettle his opponent - and in one clip appeared to pinch Grealish on the chest. <br/><br/>In the footage, the Treble-winner is seen wincing before backing off with a grin on his face. <br/><br/>Rudiger previously used a similar tactic on his former Chelsea team-mate Alvaro Morata when the pair met in their Madrid derby in January. <br/><br/>The Atletico Madrid player was instantly furious when Rudiger craftily appeared to pinch his nipple and laugh at his surprise. <br/><br/>Man City players will have known what to expect from the German international, however, after he confirmed his mastery of the dark arts during their sides' last Champions League meeting. <br/><br/>In a video captured from the stands during their semi-final first-leg meeting in the Spanish capital, Rudiger was seen sticking to his man - goalscoring behemoth Erling Haaland - and making it almost impossible for the Man City striker to get away. <br/><br/>Rudiger appeared to visibly annoy his Norwegian counterpart, with Haaland caught trying with all his might to swat his opponent away. <br/><br/>At the time, Rio Ferdinand praised the defender for his confidence in grappling with the record-breaking forward, pointing out his rare physicality-at-all-costs approach. <br/><br/>'If you were going to ask any player to come in in European football at the moment, I probably would have said for aggression, application, the way he enjoys that physical element of the game,' Ferdinand said on BT Sports (now TNT). <br/><br/>'That's what we've been saying about Haaland in the Premier League, who's been willing to take him and have a one-versus-one battle and be confident the way Rudiger was today?<br/><br/>'He was excellent and clever as well at times. He made one great block in the second half. I think you've got to be aggressive with Haaland.<br/><br/>'I still don't think they nullified him completely but I thought today that's the best I've seen a centre-back pairing play him.'<br/><br/>When asked about their tussle in Madrid ahead of Tuesday night's fixture, Rudiger claimed that he hadn't prepared to irritate. <br/><br/>'There were a lot of photos and videos but I don't plan things,' he st