Real Madrid defender Toni Rudiger admits he was surprised by Chelsea's sacking of Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel helped rebuild Rudiger's career at Chelsea.
The stopper told Sport1: “First, he was allowed to bring in new players, only to be released after a few games. I was surprised at the speed.
“The day of his release was a sad one for me. I wrote to him afterwards and thanked him again for everything.
“He was there for everyone, not just me. If you look at where we came from and where he took us, he did the impossible.
“But you know how it is in football. Sometimes you're the hero, sometimes the bogeyman."