It was after Chelsea's victory over West Ham United that Thomas Tuchel confirmed what many supporters already feared given news had emerged the previous day: Antonio Rudiger had decided to leave the club at the end of his contract. It was a bitter blow for the Blues.
Tuchel has harnassed Rudiger's natural aggression and defensive instincts over the past 18 months, and the German has blossomed into one of Europe's finest centre-backs as a result. It's why he appears set to join Real Madrid in the summer, with the La Liga giants set to offer him a lucrative four-year deal.
It will not be easy to replace Rudiger, something Tuchel accepted during his post-match press conference on Sunday. "It will be incredibly difficult. Toni is what he is – a big personality, a big leader, he takes the fear away from other people, gives you confidence when he is next to you and has played 50-60 matches over 90 minutes with incredible consistency.
