Report: Chelsea staff really miss player who was let go last summer, he still messages some Blues players now

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The absence of Antonio Rudiger at Chelsea this season has reportedly been a big factor.

Antonio Rudiger, who enjoyed a five-year spell at Stamford Bridge, did leave Chelsea last summer on a free transfer.

The aggressive defender emerged as a real fan favourite in West London, but he’s now impressing for Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Interestingly, the Blues will be reunited with their former player in tonight’s Champions League quarter-final tie at the Bernabeu.

The 30-year-old star was growing into one of the world’s elite centre-halves during the back end of his Chelsea career, which is a status he’s definitely now reached.

A source close to a current senior Chelsea player has detailed the impact Rudiger’s departure has had on the Blues staff and squad.

He told The Athletic: “Toni has been sorely missed this season, he was a real character around the place. He was a top guy, a great guy to have in the dressing room. Lots of the players looked up to him.”

The source later added: “He was the kind of guy who kept the standards high at training. He was John Terry-esque. It was a massive blow, a huge loss. It was not just his football ability — it was the desire he showed, the leadership on and off the pitch. There were a few times where the team were struggling and, at half-time, he would just go in and let rip. (Former coach Thomas) Tuchel would kind of let him off the leash and then would step in to calm it all down.

“He still messages some of his old team-mates. The bond between the players who won the Champions League will never be broken. Rudiger is a hard man to replace. He should never have been allowed to leave. The new hierarchy know that, but the fact he did was not because of them.”

From the outside looking in, Rudiger appeared to be a huge leader and presence within the Chelsea squad.

We are still waiting for the big characters to really come through in this current Blues crop, so it’s easy to see why Rudiger has been such a big miss.

Frank Lampard said yesterday that 22-year-old midfielder Enzo Fernandez is growing into a “leader” at Chelsea. We need more time for these talented youngsters to grow, though.

One Chelsea man that may be ready to step into the Rudiger-sized hole is Wesley Fofana.

Blues centre-back Fofana, 22, plays with the same personality and aggression as Rudiger.