'It's upsetting' - Chelsea star defends teammate amid criticism from fans on social media

Chelsea fans have been critical of former Liverpool and Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling this season. Frequently, the England international has been the recipient of several choruses of boos and jeers from the Blues faithful.

As a result, Noni Madueke took to the press to defend his compatriot. He described Sterling as being like a 'big brother' to the younger members of the dressing room, and he also insisted that he is 'exceptional and super committed to the cause'.

Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino agreed with Madueke's sentiment, urging the fans to not create 'bigger things' and to remain 'calm now and accept the situation'.

What did Noni Madueke say about Chelsea teammate Raheem Sterling?

Speaking to the Metro, Madueke said: "It’s so important [to support him]. I’m nobody to tell you not to have an opinion but I also have mine. That’s one of my teammates and the criticism is harsh and unfair. It’s our duty to voice our opinion and try to change the narrative a bit.

"Raheem is an exceptional footballer and an even better person. It’s a bit upsetting when I see some of the criticism. I’m sure he can handle it but we know how important he is for us. He’s definitely a big brother figure for a lot of us. There is a lot that people don’t see. All I know is that he’s exceptional and super committed to the cause."

Talking in a press conference later on, Pochettino added: "It's about to be calm now and accept the situation. The most important [thing] is to deal with this situation with our experience. We cannot create bigger things that were emotional at some point. I really believe our fans love our players and for sure they are going to support him and the result of the team."