Chelsea's Noni Madueke during the English championship Premier League football match between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest on 6 October 2024 at Stamford Bridge in London, England When Chelsea’s Noni Madueke went off he appeared angry and stormed down the tunnel instead of taking his seat on the Chelsea bench, and it was something Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand said was unacceptable. Picture: Rhianna Chadwick/Every Second Media/DPPI via AFP
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has slammed the poor behaviour of Chelsea’s Noni Madueke after the winger was substituted in their Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday.
Madueke was pulled off in the 68th minute, as Mykhailo Mudryk came on as a replacement with the score 1-0 in favour of Arsenal with the visitors having gone ahead on the hour mark at Stamford Bridge.
In the 70th minute, Chelsea equalised and the teams would end up settling for a draw.
However, when Madueke went off he appeared angry and stormed down the tunnel instead of taking his seat on the Chelsea bench.
Enzo Maresca responds to angry Noni Madueke reaction after #Chelsea change against Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/eNIHFNI0WI
— Talk Chelsea (@talkchelsea) November 11, 2024
“You think (Danny) Welbeck or Tom Cleverly or Nani are going to storm off the pitch and throw their dummy out? It’s disrespectful to your teammates as well,” Ferdinand said on his show ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents’.
“It’s a young team. Who are the experienced players who are going to go in there and say, “Woah, we don’t accept that here”.
“And I understand his thinking but at the same time, I don’t understand why you are doing that.”
Fellow former Manchester United player Owen Hargreaves echoed the sentiments of Ferdinand.
“We would have never done it because Sir Alex (Ferguson) would have knocked your arse out,” said Hargreaves.
“That’s where the manager comes in,” Ferdinand replied in reference to Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca.
“I think the manager protecting him is mad.
“And that’s why I couldn’t be in there [as a manager] because I couldn’t come out and play the game where you say, “Yeah he was in the wrong but [he’s a good kid]”. Fined, that’s a two-week fine.”