EX-ARSENAL skipper Patrick Vieira doesn’t believe Germany can rely on Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger at Euro 2020.
The 28-year-old has impressed under new Blues boss Thomas Tuchel in recent months but has a endured a tricky start to the tournament.
Rudiger was criticised for allegedly biting Manchester United star Paul Pogba during Germany’s Euros defeat to France.
And in his country’s next match against Portugal, Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo mocked the defender with some audacious skill.
Speaking to ITV Sport, Vieira said: You need two around him [Hummels] to give him more protection.
“But I don’t know if Rudiger is the type of player that you can count on him, he’s not the smartest one.
“Sometimes he makes a poor decision that gives his teammates a big big problems.
“We saw the goals that Germany concede against France he can do silly things the bite on Pogba he’s somebody that can lose his head in any moment during a game.
“I think Hummels is not the quickest one but he’s really smart and uses his brain to try to defend well but it’s going to be tough at this level for him.”
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Fellow pundit Gary Neville agreed with Vieira’s comments, adding: “Rudiger needs a project during a game, you need to give him an instruction you can’t leave it open to chance with him.
“I think if you said to him go and stick to Cristiano I think he’s actually confident enough in a stupid way sometimes to think I’ll mark him out of a game and make sure he absolutely doesn’t get a kick.
“But I think if you say he goes there, you swap over, he does that I think you will end up confusing him and he ends up getting pulled up all over the place.”
Rudiger has one year remaining on his existing Chelsea deal and is believed to be considering leaving the club, despite helping Tuchel’s side win the Champions League last month.
The Germany international recently welcomed the birth of his second child, naming the youngster Aaliyah Trophy Rudiger.
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