Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has leapt to the defence of teammate Antonio Rudiger following claims that emerged after Frank Lampard's dismissal.
The Blues legend was sacked following an 18-month stint at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea turning to former Paris Saint-Germain boss Thomas Tuchel.
Roman Abramovich and company decided to axe following last week's defeat to Leicester City, which handed a real blow in the hunt for a top-four finish and Champions League football.
In the aftermath of Lampard's dismissal, rumours of Rudiger being a disruptive influence behind the scenes due to his lack of playing time emerged.
However, they were quickly rebuffed by Abraham who took to social media on Tuesday evening to deny the claims that were circulating.
"Hearing some mad stuff about Antonio Rudier on social media today. Complete nonsense. Toni is a big bro to all of us."
Germany international Rudiger has featured just four times in the Premier League this season, with just one of those appearances coming prior to Boxing Day.
The centre-back completed 90 minutes in the victory over Fulham and last week's defeat to Leicester, doubling his playing time in the league this season.
He will be hoping for more opportunities under compatriot Tuchel, who joins a squad with a strong German contingent.
