Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has reacted to the recent comments made by star striker Romelu Lukaku in which he expressed his unhappiness at the club.
Speaking to the media, as relayed by The Guardian, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has criticised star man Romelu Lukaku over the player’s recent comments regarding his displeasure at the club.
Lukaku returned to Chelsea this past summer, joining from Inter Milan in a club-record deal worth £97.5 million, and made a fiery start to life back in London. However, his form faded with time before an injury sidelined the Belgian international. While he has made a goalscoring return after recovering from his fitness issues, things do not seem to be all too well behind the scenes.
Manager Tuchel opted to leave him out of the lineup on a few occasions. And Lukaku, in an interview with Sky Italia, hit out at the manager, insisting that he was in good shape physically while also claiming his displeasure over the tactics being used.
On top of it, the ex-Manchester United striker also insisted that he would like to return to Inter Milan in the near future when he was still in peak condition.
Reacting to the comments, Tuchel has expressed his anger at Lukaku for ‘creating noise’ that the club did not need at this moment. “We don’t like it,” he said. “It brings noise that we don’t need and it’s not helpful. We don’t want to make more out of it than it actually is. It is easy to take lines out of context, shorten lines, make headlines and then realise later that it is not so bad. We need a calm environment and focus and this does not help.”
When quizzed if he felt that Lukaku was unhappy at Chelsea, the German replied: “I don’t feel him unhappy. I feel the exact opposite. That’s why it’s a surprise. If there is something to discuss it’s behind closed doors. It does not reflect his daily work. But you need to ask him. Everything you say is out there if you are such a big player like Romelu. He is experienced and should know what kind of value it has when he speaks out like this.”
Since returning, the 28-year-old has scored just five goals in his 13 Premier League appearances. With Chelsea’s form on a decline of late, Tuchel and his players are under pressure. And like the manager said, the team could have done without the added spotlight that Lukaku’s comments have brought up.
