Van der Vaart threatens to walk out of TV studio after Chelsea flop Werner is compared to ex-Man Utd star Van Persie
RAFAEL VAN DER VAART threatened to walk out of a Dutch TV studio on Wednesday after comparisons were made between Timo Werner and Robin Van Persie.
Werner scored twice for Chelsea as they drew 3-3 against Zenit in the Champions League group stages this week.
The German striker has been highly criticised for his poor performances since joining the Blues in 2020, but put on a stellar display against the Russian side.
His second goal in particular got people talking after he carried the ball around Vyacheslav Karavayev before neatly slotting into the bottom corner.
Those covering the game on Dutch station Ziggo Sport suggested that the finish was similar to the style of legendary former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Van Persie.
However, a fuming Van Der Vaart warned: “If you compare Werner with Van Persie one more time, I will walk away now.”
The 38-year-old has been extremely critical of the Chelsea man in the past and has even described him as a ‘blind horse’.
When speaking about the striker earlier in the year, the former Real Madrid and Tottenham player said: “Timo Werner is super fast, and maybe that is something good to have in an away game when Chelsea are under pressure.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS
“But all he does is put his head down and run himself to death.”
Since retiring from professional football in 2018, Van der Vaart has become one of the most outspoken pundits in European football.
The former midfielder recently took shots at Manchester United’s Harry Maguire, saying: “I talk about Harry Maguire so much, so I try to avoid him. But he is really s**t. I have said this so often.
“I think it is unbelievable. He is no top-class defender – and he demonstrates this every week.”