"You really need to leave him at home": Former international takes DFB star to task

"When Julian Nagelsmann says he’s on probation: what needs to happen for that probation to turn into a punishment? That hits home for me," said Schult on Sunday during the programme *Doppelpass* on Sport1. Whilst emotionality is good in a way, it must not "turn into hatred, insults or discrimination", explained the Olympic champion.

Real Madrid’s Rüdiger has increasingly attracted negative attention in the past for his behaviour off the pitch: from insults directed at fans and officials, to the “beheading gesture”, right up to the incident in the Copa del Rey final, when he threw an object at the referee and was subsequently banned for six matches. He also caused widespread horror with a brutal foul in the match against Getafe.

Following his blunder in the Clásico, some observers even called for Rüdiger to be dropped from the national team. Julian Nagelsmann opted instead for a sort of probation. “The limit has been reached. He must not allow himself to do this again, otherwise there will be more serious consequences,” he said. 

Schult cannot understand why there have still been no consequences despite Nagelsmann’s warning: “If you’ve got it in for him, then you have to be consistent and leave him at home for a change. But he probably doesn’t have it in for him. He’s even vice-captain, which really bothers me.”

On the pitch, the season hasn’t gone quite as planned for Rüdiger at Real. Injuries in particular have repeatedly set the centre-back back, which is why he has only played 18 matches for the Blancos so far. In the DFB squad, he currently ranks behind Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck in the pecking order.

On Monday, Rüdiger faces a challenge with Germany in a friendly against Ghana (8.45 pm).