Rudiger to miss rest of the season with knee injury

Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger will not feature again this season due to a knee injury.

The German limped out of Chelsea’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Sunday and  successfully underwent surgery on his left knee meniscus today according to a statement from the club.

Rudiger also hobbled off during the Blues’ 2-0 defeat at Liverpool earlier this month and questions have been raised as to whether he returned prematurely.

He has been one of the club’s standout performers this season and his loss will prove a blow, with Chelsea still vying for a top-four finish and Europa League glory.

Maurizio Sarri’s men currently sit fourth with a two-point cushion over Arsenal, but the Blues have two tricky fixtures remaining – against Watford at home and Leicester away.

First they travel to Germany to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday.

The competition could offer a lifeline to the Blues if they falter in their final two league games, as the winners
automatically qualify for next season’s Champions League.