Chelsea’s central defender duo Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva have been the subject of high praise from Liverpool star man Virgil van Dijk in his recent interview with Sky Sports ( via The Metro).
Van Dijk was asked about some of the greatest defensive talents in world football and the Holland international singled out the 37-year-old Thiago Silva as one of the ‘old guys’ alongside Spanish pairing Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique.
Silva’s teammate at Stamford Bridge Antonio Rudiger was also praised lavishly by the Liverpool man who made note of the German’s return to top form on the pitch despite a knee injury curtailing his on-field action.
‘There’s so many good defenders out there,’
‘The old guys Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, Gerard Pique.’
‘The game has evolved and defending is different.’
‘If you look at Laporte and Rudiger. I think he had a fantastic season last year and the way he came back from a knee injury, I have even more respect for him now.’
Rudiger has proven his worth to the Blues in the recent past with his spectacular run of showings at the back for Thomas Tuchel who brought him from the fringes right back into his starting teamsheet after his taking over from Frank Lampard.
Chelsea, however, have a major concern with respect to Rudiger’s contract extension deadlock as the Germany international nears the end of his Stamford Bridge stay in less than nine months.
