Newcastle forward Callum Wilson has admitted that he finds Antonio Rudiger "so annoying" to play against while revealing that the Chelsea star "loves trash talking".
Rudiger has established himself as one of the top defenders in Europe since joining Chelsea from Roma in 2017, helping the club win Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League honours along the way.
The Blues are competing on multiple trophy fronts once again this season with the 29-year-old leading by example at the back, and Wilson has now opened up on how much of a challenge it is to try and get by him.
What's been said?
The Newcastle forward is currently out injured, but failed to get the best of Rudiger the last time they met at St James Park on October 30.
Wilson barely got a sniff that day as Chelsea beat the Magpies 3-0, and he concedes that he has grown to "hate" coming up against the German centre-half.
“He’s one player who loves to wrestle with you, loves to fight with you on the pitch. He’s a good player to have battles against," Wilson said of Rudiger on the Footballer's Footballer podcast.
“He always talks on the pitch. He loves trash talking. Everyone I’ve spoken to says he’s such a nice guy off the pitch… then on the pitch he’s someone who you hate – so annoying and frustrating. But that’s the sign of a top centre-half.”
Antonio: Rudiger is such a cool guy
Wilson was joined on the podcast by West Ham striker Michail Antonio, who also expressed his admiration towards Rudiger.
Antonio has also enjoyed a number of memorable battles against the Chelsea enforcer, who is now into the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge, and enjoys the physical and mental challenge he provides.
“He’s my boy. Such a cool guy. He will literally talk to me during the game," said the 31-year-old.
"He’ll go, ‘don’t try that, not with me’. I knocked it down the line for him, and man is quick, then I’ve gone to shoulder barge him. It was evens, no one lost. He was like, ‘not with me, not with me Mikey!’."