Marcel Desailly explained that Antonio Rudiger had finally proved him wrong by conjuring up an all-conquering display for Chelsea last night, speaking on beIN SPORT.
The Blues rolled over Real Madrid yesterday to book their place in the Champions League final.
Goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount ensured that an all English showdown against Manchester City would take place on the 29th of May in Istanbul.
Madrid hardly had a sniff all evening and exited the competition with a whimper.
Zinedine Zidane’s side rarely got close to Chelsea’s net, owed largely to the defensive organisation of Thomas Tuchel’s troop.
Edouard Mendy was forced into a few smart saves, but his clean sheet remained firmly intact by the final whistle.
He can thank those in front of him for engineering such a strong protective block.
Rock solid as ever, Rudiger was in fine form and this did not go unnoticed by Desailly.
“Rudiger. I haven’t really been convinced by him throughout this season,” said the former Blues centre-back.
“But today he showed, with (N’Golo) Kante, that they are the top players for Chelsea.”
Chelsea have only conceded eight times in the 29 matches Rudiger’s featured in this season.
His importance to the team cannot be understated, which is testament to Tuchel for reinstating the German international back into the fold.
So many players have felt the positive force of their new manager, as the Blues continue their assault on Europe’s elite.
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