Former Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Green says that club captain Caesar Azpilicueta had a hard time dealing with 18 year old Chelsea youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi in training.

The 18 year old who sustained an injury in April in a match against Burnley has returned to full fitness and has featured in his side's last two matches where he provided an assist in both games.

He also featured for Aidy Bothroyd's England U-21 side in a friendly match against Slovenia.

Frank Lampard has made it clear that he’s a huge admirer of Hudson-Odoi since taking over at Stamford Bridge but has been keen to keep the teenager’s feet on the ground with some constructive criticism in recent weeks.

The ex-Chelsea goalkeeper has revealed his disbelief that Hudson-Odoi was still struggling for minutes after consistently getting the better of players like Azpilicueta in training.

‘We had Willian, Pedro and obviously Eden [Hazard] in the same positions but the manager had such a strong belief about playing the players he trusted.

He would not play other players,’ Green told BBC Radio 5 live. ‘It was the same team, the same formation every week, maybe one or two changes and Callum just wouldn’t get a look-in. ‘We’d go into training and he’d tear it up day in, day out and the things he would try in training with no pressure… and he’d do it in games. You’d just see him trying stuff because he just wanted to.

‘It’s not that players like this don’t care. It’s just that they can play with the freedom and understanding that they can try these things and are good enough to pull them off.

‘He would try it in training against some of the best players in the world, some of the best defenders.

‘Azpilicueta playing up against him in training… couldn’t live with him! He’d chop inside him and Azpi would turn around and go, “Oh God, he’s gone past me”, and then he’d just bend one in the far top corner or fire one in at the near post.’

‘It’s not that players like this don’t care. It’s just that they can play with the freedom and understanding that they can try these things and are good enough to pull them off.

‘He would try it in training against some of the best players in the world, some of the best defenders.

‘Azpilicueta playing up against him in training… couldn’t live with him! He’d chop inside him and Azpi would turn around and go, “Oh God, he’s gone past me”, and then he’d just bend one in the far top corner or fire one in at the near post.’

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/13/cesar-azpilicueta-couldnt-live-callum-hudson-odoi-chelsea-training-claims-rob-green-10912382/?ito=cbshare

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