Antonio Rüdiger scored the third penalty he has taken in his career, all in one shootout. A year ago, he was the one sacrificed in the 4-0 after tying Erling Haaland short in the first leg.

In this one, he once again reduced the Norwegians in both matches and scored the decisive bingo from 11 meters. He emerged from that abyss, gave City a boost, and, above all, closed a personal circle. His thing is the rounds and, furthermore, the final part of them, when the most gifted or preferred shooters have already gone through the electric chair or have declined the offer, like Fede Valverde at the Etihad. German only appears in those moments in which tension confuses everything. He was the seventh Chelsea player to face Sergio Asenjo in August 2021, in the European Super Cup against Villarreal. The next one to make the pass was Ral Albiol, Kepa stopped him, and the club won the title (6-5) Rüdiger has not scored in three meetings against Haaland in the last year. The German has barely accumulated four shots on goal. He has not even reached one expected goal (0.94) A week ago, he stayed at 0.07. This Wednesday, at the beginning of the extension, he asked for the change. He first led a defense that survived a siege and then appeared for the third time in the 11 meters to close the agony. He was the only concession in the middle of the tidal wave, beyond the clear missed chance in extra time was the soft clearance that caused the tie. "The coach didn't apologize to me and he doesn't have to. I have to accept it, although it was complicated," the German admitted a few days ago. The center back's absence a year ago in the 4-0. A decision in which the coach, by action or omission, played the game. Milito was returning from a suspension, so there was one left over.