Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger admits to suffering racial abuse after the sacking of Frank Lampard.

Rudiger was someone who was blamed for Lampard leaving, as rumours of a rift between the two emerged in the British press.

Now the German has revealed he was racially abused online from fans who felt he had betrayed his old manager, even though Rudiger refuted those claims entirely.

"I have been in the club into my fourth season and I have had four different coaches, with [Thomas] Tuchel now," Rudiger told Chelsea's official website.

"It was never talked about when [Maurizio] Sarri left the club or when [Antonio] Conte left the club that players were involved or something like this.

"My conscience is clear. I know who I am and I know I did not do all that nonsense that came out and for me in my head, I am very free. I am open for every new coach, as I was open also for Mr Lampard.

"I cannot control people's emotions but people should be human beings. Me, I didn't post anything but the racial abuse was immense.

"This makes me stronger because I know who I am, I can look in the mirror and I can smile. I know I didn't do anything so for me this is forgotten.

"For me in life it is very important I can look in the mirror, I see myself, I know who I am. Of course, it hurts but in this case I just block it out because I know I didn't do anything."