Chelsea star slams 'harsh & unfair' criticism of Raheem Sterling | OneFootball

Chelsea winger Noni Madueke has urged fans to stick by teammate Raheem Sterling, labelling criticism of the 29-year-old "harsh and unfair".

Sterling was booed throughout the FA Cup quarter-final victory over Leicester City earlier this month and many supporters online have urged Chelsea to part ways with the high-earning winger this summer amid reports of interest from Saudi Arabia.

Madueke, however, has come out in support of his senior teammate, insisting fans do not see just how committed to Chelsea Sterling truly is.

"It's so important [to support him]," Madueke told the Daily Mail. "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."

Wider criticism of Chelsea has been common this season as the Blues once again find themselves struggling in mid-table, but Madueke insists the squad are trying to turn the situation into a positive.

"I feel like negativity can only fuel you," Madueke explained. "It gives you a tougher skin, it's part of the game. You're not going to go through your career without having downs and negative times when people are saying you're no good. The quicker you learn to deal with that, the better.

"We're in a semi-final of the FA Cup and, God willing, if we win that (trophy) then we're in Europe. In the league there is still a lot of football to be played. We're winning more often than we're not at the moment. We have to keep it going and see where we end up."

He continued: "This is the first time in my career where I've lost and drawn games. It's part of learning. Not just for me, all of us, [especially] the players who aren't that familiar with the Premier League and English football.

"What I can say is that every time I go to training I see an abundance of talent and a mentality that everyone wants to improve, wants to win. At Chelsea that is the expectation.

"We're not stupid, we know that. However, things don't always go as you plan and you have to take accountability for yourself and the people around you, and just try to get better every day. I'm sure later down the line we'll start winning. I'm sure about that.

"I can only speak for myself but for me it doesn't really bother me. We're in a social media era where it is very difficult to please people. I'm not really that bothered, I don't care to watch it. I just focus on myself, my teammates and try to do the best I can every time I get an opportunity."