Chelsea
have omitted Romelu Lukaku from their squad for the game against Liverpool
on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
In an interview with Sky Italy recorded a few weeks ago but aired this week,
Lukaku said he was unhappy with his role at the club and would like to
return to Inter Milan in the near future.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel said on Friday the comments by Lukaku, re-signed by
Chelsea for a club-record £97.5m from Serie A champions Inter in August, are
"just not helpful".
Lukaku, 28, has scored in his last two Premier League appearances - against
Aston Villa and Brighton - following his return to the Chelsea squad after
testing positive for Covid-19.
Belgium international Lukaku has scored seven goals in 18 appearances, but
will now be missing for the Blues as they look to reduce the gap to league
leaders Manchester City to eight points with a victory.
Earlier this season, Lukaku missed more than a month of action with an ankle
injury sustained against Malmo in the Champions League on October 20.
'Bad news on a day Chelsea need a result'
Sky Sports News' Gary Cotterill at Stamford Bridge:
"I've checked with the club hierarchy and they say it is club policy not to
comment on team news before the team sheets are out. But there is certainly
no denial of the big breaking news that the fallout from Romelu Lukaku's
interview with Sky Italy is the club certainly believe that it can't be left
unpunished and that something needs to be done or seen to be done as well.
"It's no good, for example, dropping a player from an FA Cup tie. So,
missing a big game like this would be the kind of message Thomas Tuchel
would want to send to Lukaku for the fallout from that interview. We are
hearing he won't be in the starting XI for this crucial game against
Liverpool, but not only that, he will not be in the matchday squad either.
"There was plenty of speculation that it would be coming but it is certainly
taking a hold at Stamford Bridge that it is the case, and it is another
headache for Thomas Tuchel.
"Tuchel has told the club's media that catching Man City is difficult but
not impossible. They are 11 points behind now after being five points ahead
just over a month ago. If they lose against Liverpool and then lose at Man
City the next time out in the Premier League then it will begin to look far
more than just difficult. It will start to look impossible to catch City.
"So, it's not great news on a day when Chelsea know they need a result, but
it is news the club feel they have to give and make public."
Lukaku & Tuchel: The timeline as tensions
grow
Lukaku was an injury concern after withdrawing from Belgium duty in early
October due to "muscle fatigue", and though he then played 77 minutes
against Brentford on October 16 an ankle sprain against Malmo four days
later led to a spell on the sidelines.
Before the Malmo match, Tuchel had already said Lukaku was "mentally tired",
blaming a dry spell in front of goal on the fact he was playing too much
football.
After six games out, there were then four league matches where Lukaku was in
the matchday squad, coming on as a substitute each time - against Manchester
United, Watford, West Ham and Leeds - racking up 77 minutes but failing to
find the target.
He started and scored in the 3-3 draw with Zenit in Chelsea's final
Champions League group game, but after a brief cameo against Leeds, he then
missed three matches due to Covid, against Everton and Wolves in the league
and Brentford in the Carabao Cup.
The forward's first match after his return from Covid was against Aston
Villa on Boxing Day, where he came off the bench at half-time to inspire a
comeback 3-1 win.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the victory, Lukaku spoke of his frustration at
being stuck on the sidelines.
"I think I needed a performance like this today, it has been difficult as
every player wants to play," he said.
"The manager has his reasons but I kept working hard. Today it was good for
us to win, and I am happy with my performance."
Meanwhile, Tuchel said Lukaku's 45 minutes against Villa went against
medical advice and voiced his concerns over whether it would impact the
striker's return to full fitness.
"He [Lukaku] had a very good performance, he was very helpful, but it's not
fair," Tuchel said. "He's not ready for that even if he wants it."
Tuchel was hugely frustrated following Chelsea's win at Aston Villa
"We just put the players in but we don't know [what the impact is]. He was a
game-changer today.
"There is no doubt he is super-important. Romelu will be a key player. Last
time he started for us was in October, not because of quality or that we
have any doubts we are better without him. He is unlucky to get injured.
"When he was struggling to come back in the schedule we have, he caught
Covid. It [45 minutes] was more than the fitness and medical department
recommended for him but we thought we could take the risk and be more
offensive."
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