Thomas
Tuchel says he is not happy with Romelu Lukaku after the striker expressed
his displeasure with his situation at Chelsea, adding the quotes are "just
not helpful".
Lukaku - who joined Chelsea in a club-record transfer in the summer - gave
an interview to Sky in Italy in which he said he was "not very happy with
the situation" at Stamford Bridge, and complained of Tuchel's decision to
play "a different formation".
The interview was recorded earlier this month but published on Thursday -
just days before Chelsea face Liverpool, live on Sky Sports, in a huge
showdown between the two sides bidding to keep pace with Manchester City in
the Premier League title race.
Asked for his reaction to Lukaku's interview, Tuchel said: "I don't like it
because it brings noise that we don't need. It's just not helpful.
"On the other side, we don't want to make more out of it than it actually
is. You know very well how it is - it's very easy to take lines out of
context. It's very easy to shorten lines and make headlines, then later
realise that it's not so bad and maybe not what he meant.
"But let's be honest that we don't like it."
Tuchel also revealed that Lukaku did not speak to him about his feelings
before the interview went live, and that he was taken aback by the striker's
apparent unhappiness.
"I don't feel him unhappy," said Tuchel. "I feel him the exact opposite,
that's why it's a surprise.
"But I'm the wrong person to ask."
Lukaku's comments were published after a period in which he scored three
goals in four games for Chelsea, and it appeared he was re-establishing
himself in the team following a spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
Tuchel said Lukaku's feelings should have been dealt with "behind closed
doors, for sure", and when asked whether the Belgian would be spoken to -
and whether he could even face disciplinary action - replied: "We will and
we will do it behind closed doors.
"We will do it openly, like I think the relationship has always been. No
further comments in public on that."
As well as Lukaku's displeasure at his role in the team, Tuchel has also had
to contend with a number of absences in his squad caused by Covid and
injuries.
The head coach said after the draw against Brighton on Wednesday that it was
"stupid" to think his side could compete for the title given their fitness
issues and the fact they now lie eight points behind leaders City.
But while Tuchel admitted the squad were "angry" to drop yet more points, he
dismissed any suggestion that Lukaku's words could cause problems within the
dressing room.
Chelsea's Stamford Bridge struggles
Chelsea 1-1 Southampton, Carabao Cup, October 26 (Chelsea won on penalties)
Chelsea 1-1 Burnley, Premier League, November 6
Chelsea 4-0 Juventus, Champions League, November 23
Chelsea 1-1 Manchester United, Premier League, November 28
Chelsea 3-2 Leeds, Premier League, December 11
Chelsea 1-1 Everton, Premier League, December 16
Chelsea 1-1 Brighton, Premier League, December 29
"The dressing room is not necessary to be always in harmony," he said. "It's
absolutely not necessary to be successful.
"You don't have to hug each other, love each other every single day.
Sometimes it's good to be on the edge and be a bit in disharmony, in between
certain boundaries.
"The thing with Romelu is I don't think that anybody in this building is
aware that he's unhappy, and that's what makes us surprised about these
statements.
"So first of all we need to check because I see no reason why it should be
like this. We wait for what Romelu says and then we will deal with it."
In his interview, Lukaku also talked up a return to Inter Milan, where he
spent two years and won Serie A before returning to Chelsea for £97.5m.
The 28-year-old apologised to Inter's fans for the way he left the club and
revealed his desire to rejoin the Italian champions while he is still
playing at a "good enough level".
But Tuchel played down any suggestion that Lukaku may want a quick return to
San Siro, saying: "This is what you read into it. I did not read it
completely.
"It's very easy to take lines out of context and make headlines to get the
best out of these interviews for several days.
"If it's an important player, I totally understand the process and that's
why it's a lot of extra noise.
"We are not here to just read the headlines and maybe we can take the time
to try to understand what's going on.
"It does not reflect the daily work, attitude and behaviour which Romelu
shows here."
Analysis: Which change is Lukaku referring
to?
Sky Sports' Gerard Brand
Lukaku's main gripe seems to be with a "different formation", but it's
difficult to see which change the Belgian is referring to. When Lukaku
joined Chelsea, Tuchel was immediately asked what this would mean for the
3-4-2-1 system that helped them back into the top four and to Champions
League glory.
Tuchel said in August: "We now have the chance also to play with two
strikers, like they did at Inter with [Lukaku], or to continue with three
strikers. We will see now how this works out."
Was Lukaku promised a consistent strike partner in Timo Werner, someone to
drop deep and do the dirty work while he worked the key areas in the penalty
area and on the shoulder of the defender? For Inter, Lukaku had Lautaro
Martinez or Alexis Sanchez beside him for practically the entire season, but
for Chelsea that partnership role is unclear.
Lukaku and Werner have started only five times together this season, and
only twice as a traditional front two. In the first of those two games,
Lukaku and Werner were isolated in a 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City, and
in the second they barely escaped Brentford with a 1-0 victory. Elsewhere,
in Lukaku's absence, Werner has been given opportunities to find form, but
hasn't grasped it, and Tuchel has more than often opted for a front three.
After returning from injury in late November, Lukaku was given only chunks
of minutes - eight against Man Utd, 21 against Watford, 45 against West Ham
and three against Leeds - opting to play a false nine in Kai Havertz on
several occasions.
Tuchel will of course claim he has been protecting his £90m signing on his
return from injury, but like any player, Lukaku wants to be on the pitch as
much as possible. He said after the win at Villa on Boxing Day: "I think I
needed a performance like this today, it has been difficult as every player
wants to play. The manager has his reasons but I kept working hard."
Chelsea's tricky January
Thomas Tuchel's injury-hit side face a series of pivotal fixtures in
January, including Premier League clashes with title rivals Manchester City
and Liverpool, plus three meetings with bitter rivals Tottenham.
Liverpool (H), Premier League, Sunday January 2, live on Sky Sports
Tottenham (H), Carabao Cup, Wednesday January 5, live on Sky Sports
Chesterfield (H), FA Cup, Saturday January 8
Tottenham (A), Carabao Cup, Wednesday January 12, live on Sky Sports
Manchester City (A), Premier League, Saturday January 15
Tottenham (H), Premier League, Sunday January 23, live on Sky Sports
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