https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/04/28/
tuchel-reveals-how-rudiger-broke-news-of-his-departure
Tuchel reveals how Rudiger broke news of his departure
28 Apr 2022
Thomas Tuchel has insisted that he remains on good terms with Antonio
Rudiger following the defender's decision to leave Chelsea in the summer
and discussed how his compatriot informed him of his desire to depart.
https://i.imgur.com/OlmRA6E.jpg
The Blues boss revealed in the aftermath of Sunday's victory against West
Ham that Rudiger intended to move on from the club at which he has spent
the past five years once his current contract expires in the summer.
Tuchel has now provided more information on how the 29-year-old broke the
news to him at Cobham last week and expressed his gratitude that he was
informed in person.
'When Toni knocks at your door one hour before training, it's not a good
sign,' he explained. 'Normally he doesn't knock - he just grabs you in
between and tells you something, so everybody thought this is not looking
good.
https://i.imgur.com/3vbmLXl.jpg
'Then we had this brief conversation. First of all, I appreciated that he
came and told me. I was one of the first and that shows me we have a
relationship where we handle things directly and honestly and are not
afraid to tell each other what we think.'
All options were exhausted in convincing the German to extend his stay in
south-west London, with the sanctions placed on the club making things
even more difficult in recent weeks, though Tuchel believes Rudiger's
passion for a new challenge meant his mind was already made up.
Now the focus turns to our final seven games of the season, starting with
this evening's trip to Manchester United, and ensuring our number two's
trophy-laden time at the club ends in style.
'Toni is not the guy you need to take out to 10 dinners and 12 coffees to
talk him into something,' added Tuchel. 'He has strong opinions, which is
part of his personality. He demands clarity and honesty but it's very low
maintenance with him.
'I was disappointed but not on a personal level. It's his right to figure
out what opportunities he had and it's his right to change clubs. I did
not like it and he knows that we did not like it but we had big players
with injuries before for many weeks or months and life does not stop.
https://i.imgur.com/8Gu3IeT.jpg
'I would have liked him to stay. He would have been a key figure but still
these things happen. We are on good terms and now he needs to finish on
the same level.'