Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has revealed the language barrier between himself and Thiago Silva sometimes makes it "difficult" to play alongside each other. The defensive duo have both established themselves as two of the best in their position in the Premier League.
In all competitions, since Silva signed in the summer of 2020 on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain, Rudiger has played alongside the Brazilian 49 times in all competitions and in that time, Chelsea have won 31 matches. Silva, like Rudiger, has quickly become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge.
The way they both defend can look effortless, but Rudiger's latest comments reveal that it is not the case whatsoever, with the language barrier being an issue. Speaking to Chelsea's official website, Rudiger said: "Because of the language barrier, it's difficult. People like him, he's an OG. He talks on the pitch."
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Silva, who is now 37-years-old, is still one of the top defenders in the Premier League, despite his age. His form under Thomas Tuchel has been sensational, hence why Chelsea extended his contract by a further year in January.
After signing the new deal, Silva was asked about the secret to his longevity, and replied: "The first thing is preparation, the organisation, not just from the players but from all our the staff. I have a really good relationship with the staff.
"It's great if I am feeling tired I can speak to the coaching staff, and I can say that it might be risky to play certain matches, and we think about it and we decide whether it's best to play or to rest. The relationship we have means we can speak freely to each other. We don't hide things, and we speak clearly.
"Then it's about recovery after every match. I am somebody who doesn't go out much, I stay at home with my family, and I recover at home as well.
"I'm one of the first to arrive at the training ground and one of the last to leave, because I do my recovery here. I'm 37 so I think it is necessary to do the maximum, especially when you're at a club like Chelsea who have given me this new opportunity."
