‘I can’t be satisfied with my situation’: Antonio Rudiger admits lack of game time at Chelsea is frustrating but defender vows to fight for his place rather than seeking January move
- Antonio Rudiger has featured in just five matches for Chelsea so far this season
- German defender has fallen below Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma in pecking order
- Rudiger, 27, has admitted the current situation is far from ideal
- But he told German TV he intends to fight for his place in Frank Lampard’s team
- Chelsea host West Ham in their next Premier League fixture on Monday night
Antonio Rudiger has admitted he ‘isn’t satisfied’ with his current situation at Chelsea but insists he won’t look for a transfer away in January.
The Germany defender, 27, has featured in just five Chelsea matches so far this season after falling down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.
But despite summer signing Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma being very clearly Frank Lampard’s favoured combination in central defence, Rudiger has vowed to stay and fight for his place.
Antonio Rudiger has admitted his situation at Chelsea is ‘not satisfactory’ after featuring in just five of their matches so far this season
The Germany international has played in just one Premier League match – against Newcastle
‘I can’t be satisfied with my situation, but the fight has been accepted,’ he told ZDF. ‘What will happen in January is a long way off. I’m complete relaxed.’
Rudiger has played in just one Premier League match so far this season, the 2-0 win at Newcastle United last month, and has been an unused substitute eight times and left out the squad entirely four times.
He has featured more regularly in the Champions League, however, starting twice against Krasnodar and also away to Sevilla, while also coming off the bench at home to Rennes.
But with just 382 minutes under his belt so far this season, Rudiger has admitted the situation is far from ideal.
Thiago Silva (left) and Kurt Zouma have former Chelsea’s central defensive partnership
Rudiger wants to stay at Chelsea and fight for his place in Frank Lampard’s starting line-up
Chelsea have played well without him, at least prior to this week’s losses to Everton and Wolves, but they can climb back into the top four when they host West Ham on Monday evening.
The generous defender thanks medical staff in Germany for their efforts fighting the Covid-19 pandemic by buying pizzas and distributing them to 13 hospitals last week.
420 staff working in intensive care units at the hospitals received the gift, with Rudiger praising the ‘incredible job’ of staff in fighting the disease.