Roberto De Zerbi wants this Chelsea player benched

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has called on Chelsea boss Frank Lampard to bench his former player, Mykhailo Mudryk, when the two teams face off in a Premier League clash on Saturday. The Italian coach said he has a special relationship with Mudryk from the time they spent together at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Despite Mudryk’s £89 million move to Chelsea in January, the 22-year-old has failed to impress, with no goals in 10 appearances for the London club. De Zerbi, however, expressed confidence that Mudryk will come good at Chelsea and stated that he considers him “like a son.”

During his pre-match press conference, De Zerbi stated: “Me and my staff have a special relationship [with Mudryk]. He’s like a son to us. I hope he stays on the bench and doesn’t play, but I love him. We hope the best for him, from the next game.”

Mudryk’s lackluster performance since joining Chelsea has been a cause of concern for the club’s fans, and it remains to be seen whether Tuchel will heed De Zerbi’s call to bench him against Brighton. The game is a crucial one for both teams, with Chelsea currently sitting in fourth place, while Brighton is trying to secure their Premier League status for next season.