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Tag: Rudiger

  • Chelsea defender reveals Tuchel’s words of inspiration

    Chelsea defender reveals Tuchel’s words of inspiration

    Following Saturday’s impressive 2-1 victory at champions-elect Manchester City, Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has revealed how manager Thomas Tuchel’s half-time pep talk spurred the players on.

    “At half-time, we were still in the game and the coach highlighted that to us,” Rudiger told Chelsea’s official website. “He wanted us to go out and show spirit, which we did, and we all totally believed that we could turn things around.

    “They are a very strong team but they are also human, and there will be times when they make mistakes. When that happens, you have to be ready to punish them and we did that at the end with our winning goal and it was a great feeling for everyone to get this victory.”

  • ​Chelsea begin contract talks with Antonio Rudiger

    ​Chelsea begin contract talks with Antonio Rudiger

    Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger is set to hold talks with the Premier League club about his future.

    The German is firmly in the plans of coach and countryman Thomas Tuchel, and has played a key part in the team reaching the Champions League and FA Cup finals.

    Rudiger’s contract expires next summer, and the club are hoping to tie him down to a new deal.

    According to Sky Sports News, talks between Chelsea and Rudiger’s representatives are beginning.

    No agreement is expected before the end of the season, but there is a will on both sides to agree on a new contract.

  • Europa: I want Roma to beat Man Utd – Rudiger

    Europa: I want Roma to beat Man Utd – Rudiger

    Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger is backing Roma against Manchester United this week.

    Roma go to Old Trafford on Thursday for the first-leg of their Europa League semifinal.

    After Chelsea’s 1-1 draw at Champions League opponents Real Madrid, Rudiger, a former Roma defender, has wished his old team the best for the tie.

    He told Sky Italia: “I played for Roma and I wish them the best.

    “I hope they win against United and go to the final.”

  • I wouldn’t fight Rudiger, Azpilicueta or Kovacic – Tuchel

    Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has named three of his players that he would never want to fight.

    The German was asked about the mentality and tenacity of his team as they prepare for a Champions League quarter final second leg against FC Porto.

    The Blues are 2-0 up from the first leg, and will be hoping to seal a spot in the semi finals.

    “Honestly you don’t want to be in a fight with Antonio Rudiger, Kova (Mateo Kovacic) and Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta),” he told reporters.

    “For me you don’t want to be in a fight with them, because they are ready to fight and it’s their nature to show it on the pitch and protect the interests of our team.

    “They are there we can rely on them nobody has to do stuff which is against their nature you can totally rely on them.

    “For me when I was a player at a lower level when you have big matches and feel the tension you look around at who is next to you and feel comfortable, see who you can rely on.

    ‘I feel our guys are very comfortable when they look around and see who they can rely on. No one is out there alone, we will help each other, we will help from the bench.

    “We will push hard for the best outcome. We have minimum of 90 minutes to fight for and achieve a big goal.”

  • I spoke with Jose Mourinho, PSG – Rudiger

    I spoke with Jose Mourinho, PSG – Rudiger

    Antonio Rudiger has revealed he held talks with PSG and Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho last summer.

    The German defender decided to stay at Chelsea and has since become a regular under Thomas Tuchel.

    Speaking before Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 clash with Atletico Madrid, Rudiger said: “Some things I saw coming, but I didn’t see that I wouldn’t be in the squad [under Lampard].

    “This I didn’t see coming. But in the end, I took it on the chin. Yes, I had really two main teams that maybe wanted me and that I was considering.

    “It was PSG, to be honest, and with Mourinho [at Tottenham]. But this is something that didn’t happen. With Tuchel, it didn’t happen. I was a bit upset because I knew that I wouldn’t often play in my situation.

    “Then I had a talk with the ex-coach of Lampard and I was suddenly back in the team but on the bench. I had a couple of games and I worked my way back. In the last games of his reign, I was on the pitch. Now, things are going well for me and I am very happy about it.

    “To be honest, though, I always felt good in the club. They treated me nicely, especially upstairs from the board. No one told me I should leave. Neither did Frank Lampard, the transfers I had didn’t happen. The loans didn’t happen, but no one told me at the club that I should leave either.”

  • Tuchel has us pressing like Bayern, Liverpool – Rudiger

    Tuchel has us pressing like Bayern, Liverpool – Rudiger

    Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger sees similarity between the playstyle of his club side and Bayern Munich.

    The Blues have been on an excellent run since new boss Thomas Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard.

    They are unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions, their latest being a 2-0 success over Everton at home.

    “It gives us maybe a little bit less stress behind,” Rudiger told the Daily Star.

    “If you keep the opponent in their own half, even if they counter-attack, they still have to go 70-80 metres to our goal.

    “I think that makes sense, to keep them high up the pitch, in their own half, as much as you can.”

    Rudiger added: “When a team keeps you in your own half it’s very hard to go over the middle line.

    “Liverpool did this so well in the last few years and this is because of Klopp. In Germany many teams play like this. Bayern Munich as well.

    “What’s always been there is this counter-pressing. In those five seconds after you lose the ball, to try to win it back and then spaces open up and you are closer to the goal when you win it too.

    “You don’t need to be going 70 metres to goal. You are already there.

    “I think you can see the impact it had if you look at the results of the German national team – winning the World Cup in 2014.”

  • REVEALED: Chelsea captain Azpilicueta clashed with Rudiger

    REVEALED: Chelsea captain Azpilicueta clashed with Rudiger

    Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has had a running battle this season with Toni Rudiger, it has been claimed.

    The Telegraph says Azpilicueta clashed with out-of-favour team-mate Rudiger ‘on more than one occasion’ as tensions flared between players prior to the sacking of Frank Lampard.

    One of Lampard’s biggest issues was his inability to trim his squad to make room for new signings Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell, Edouard Mendy and Thiago Silva.

    The bloated squad saw Rudiger, Marcos Alonso and Jorginho given a stay of execution despite all three being players Lampard wanted to offload.

    All three are believed to have ’caused issues’ for the Chelsea boss prior to his sacking.

    Azpilicueta as captain ‘attempted to ease tensions’ between players with academy stars also said to have been upset at their treatment amid claims of favouritism under the now-departed Lampard.

  • Antonio Rudiger back on Barcelona radar

    Antonio Rudiger back on Barcelona radar

    Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger remains on Barcelona’s radar.

    Barca made an attempt for Rudiger in the final days of the summer market and are still keen, reports Mundo Deportivo.

    Barca will seek to set up a loan arrangement for Rudiger, who would arrive as cover for knee injury victim Gerard Pique. Pique isn’t expected to be seen again until March – at the earliest.

    Rudiger has recently forced his way back into Chelsea’s first team and has declared a wish to remain in London.

    But a guarantee of regular football may convince the German as he seeks to stay in Jogi Low’s plans for next year’s Euros.

  • ​Rudiger given chance for Chelsea return after Lampard heart-to-heart

    ​Rudiger given chance for Chelsea return after Lampard heart-to-heart

    Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has buried the hatchet with central defender Antonio Rudiger, according to Tribalfootball.

    The German was out of favour at the club and was likely to move in the summer.

    But no transfer materialised, and now the Daily Mail reports Rudiger could be back in the Chelsea squad.

    The paper claims the two had heart-to-heart talks, and Lampard is ready to give Rudiger a chance to resurrect his Blues career.

    The 27-year-old is happy to stay at the club if he has a fair shot at securing a starting spot.

    It remains to be seen if he will remain beyond the January transfer window.

  • PSG chief blocked Tuchel from signing Rudiger

    PSG chief blocked Tuchel from signing Rudiger

    PSG coach Thomas Tuchel was blocked from signing Chelsea defender Toni Rudiger over the summer, it has been revealed.

    Rudiger had been made available by Chelsea and Tuchel was keen on signing his fellow German.

    However, while PSG were well placed to sign Rudiger, the deal eventually fell through – due to sporting director Leonardo’s intervention.

    While Tuchel was eager to sign Rudiger after losing Thiago Silva to Chelsea, Leonardo rejected the move.

    The Germany defender was one of several players Tuchel had recommended only to be vetoed by his sporting director.