'It was a shock. It’s also somehow not a surprise': Rudiger on Tuchel sacking from Chelsea

Antonio Rudiger has admitted that he could not believe it when he heard that his former head coach Thomas Tuchel was sacked from Chelsea.

"It hit me," Rudiger told The Guardian. "What he achieved in the club, even if it was under the old regime, it was a shock. He gets players that he wants and then all of a sudden he’s gone.

"But it’s Chelsea. It’s also somehow not a surprise. I messaged him and said: 'Thank you very much for everything you did.'

"Not only for me but for all of us. Without him winning the Champions League was a bit far away."

Rudiger was one of Thomas Tuchel's most trusted players from the start of his tenure there which was quite a turnaround from his time with Frank Lampard in charge.

Now, Rudiger is at Real Madrid after joining them for free, while Tuchel is without a job since being sacked by Todd Boehly over two months ago.