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Chelsea boss, Frank Lampard has condemned reports suggesting that his defender, Antonio Rudiger was racially abused by Tottenham fans during Sunday's encounter, admitting he would support his players walking off if subjected to a future racism storm.

"In terms of walking off the pitch, I think that has to feel right in the moment," Lampard said after the game.
"And until that moment comes I don't want to guess what I would do. It would depend what the players were feeling and saying.


"But I would be absolute, 100 per cent behind them if [they wanted to walk off], and I'm sure it would be a group decision. But we're not there yet, so it's hypothetical to a degree.


"Of course I'll support Toni as we would support any of our players, or in fact any opposition players. Wherever this happens it needs to be dealt with.


"If it happened and it's fact, then punishment is needed and it needs to be strong."


Meanwhile, former England and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has admitted he had "a lot of abuse" from the stands during his time as a player, but never reported incidents because he did not feel he had enough support.


Speaking to Sky Sports, Cole said
"You try to block it out, but obviously he (Rudiger) has heard something. Players keep going to the referee, but we see the same things happening.


"These people need educating. In society it is easy to say what you want on social media, you don't see their faces. People around them need to be grassing them up, getting them thrown out and banned."


Cole added: "No one knows the answer. I don't understand how you stop it, to be honest. Clubs feel like they have to make announcements, but why are they waiting until something happens?


"I praise Raheem for coming out and speaking out and standing up, because I could not do it. I felt like no one cares, no one is going to listen. It is my fault as well for not coming out - I felt like I did not have enough support. Raheem has got the people onside, I did not think I had that."

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