Real Madrid defender Toni Rudiger admits he was unhappy being benched for last season's Champions League semifinal defeat to Manchester City.

After marking Erling Haaland out of the game in the first-leg, Rudiger was benched in Manchester in the second-leg as City won.

Rudiger, ahead of tomorrow's quarterfinal first-leg, said: “As you say, it was a good game. We all did a very good job keeping Haaland at bay, he didn't receive many passes. Ancelotti didn't apologise for not putting me in the second leg, he had the idea and I have to respect it, even if I didn't like it.

"The idea this season is the same, to control City's dangerous players."

He continued: “It has been a very good season for me and for everyone. The Champions League is very important to me, we know the importance of the tournament for the club.

“Nothing matters if we don't move forward."

On Haaland, he added: "He's one of the toughest I've faced, but I could say El Kun, without a doubt. But this is now about Haaland. It is difficult to control him, but he lives off the passes of his teammates. You can't control everything, players like De Bruyne have to be controlled too, so that things are easier."