https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2022/01/04/
tuchel-committed-lukaku-has-apologised
Tuchel: Committed Lukaku has apologised
04 Jan 2022
Having met with Romelu Lukaku yesterday, following the striker's omission
from the squad for the Liverpool game, Thomas Tuchel today issued an
update on how the meeting went.
Lukaku was not included at the weekend due to the large amount of noise
created by an interview he gave to Italian media, which in turn was
causing a distraction from the squad's preparation for an important
Premier League fixture.
Speaking at his media conference on Tuesday afternoon ahead of our Carabao
Cup semi-final versus Tottenham, Tuchel had this to say on the matter.
'We are happy we took the time that it needed to look on it and to talk
calmly about it. This is what we did.
'Romelu apologised and is back in the squad for today's training which is
later. For me, the most important thing was to clearly understand and
believe that it was not intentional.
https://i.imgur.com/0GS4sOy.jpg
Romelu Lukaku in training yesterday
'He did not do this intentionally to create this kind of noise in front of
a big game.
'Secondly, it was the very first time. Before, when he seemed in his
opinion to be ready to play from the start after his injury, and we
thought he needed to readapt to the intensity a little bit more, there was
never the slightest behaviour against the team.
'So it was the very first time that we actually felt in this way. And
these are very important points to stay calm, understanding that it's not
as big as maybe people want it to be. It's also not small, but it's small
enough to stay calm, to accept an apology and to move forward.'
Tuchel was asked what kind of reception he thinks Lukaku will now receive
from the Chelsea fans.
'He is very aware of what happened and what he created and he feels the
responsibility to clean the mess up,' began our head coach's response.
'Maybe we will have a bit of smell still from it. He can handle it.
There's also no other choice, you cannot expect now everybody to be to be
super happy the very next day, but he is still our player and we have a
lot of good reasons to make him play for us and to convince him to fight
hard.
https://i.imgur.com/XdhSTd8.jpg
'He is our player, we are happy that he's our player, and we will protect
him and in the end, it's also very important that the stadium supports the
team.
'Even if somebody has a different opinion on it or strongly disagrees, it
is about the team in anything we do and I hope the supporters can take
this also and keep on supporting the team because at the moment we need
the support.'
Tuchel went onto to explain that although it does not make it better or
easier to understand recent events, in Lukaku he sees a committed player
in every way.
'That is why it was so surprising to me because he was on his way and he
scored for us in Aston Villa and in the next game against Brighton,' he
added.
'He was there and he was decisive and we had the feeling there's really a
new start to it after injury and after Covid and that's why it was a big
surprise.
https://i.imgur.com/ggfKxYT.jpg
Finding the Villa net on Boxing Day
'Before the interview I've never had the slightest doubt that he is
committed because his actions on the pitch and off the pitch and in
private life all go in the same direction.
'He's an emotional guy. He does not hold back with his opinion, so also
credit to that and sometimes he carries his heart on his tongue. We
should not just blame him and just point to the negative side of it. We
have to adapt now to the situation and it created some noise that you
normally absolutely don't want, and this is clearly understood, but there
are zero doubts about his commitment to the team and to the club.'
'Was the intention to create trouble? Was the intention to leave the club?
Was the intention to put pressure on the coach? Absolutely, no, I cannot
see it.
https://i.imgur.com/OMVzDmy.jpg
'He did not want to do this intentionally. Of course he should have known
better and that's why we have to clear the air now together, but as we
answer all these questions with a clear no, we need to be mature enough to
accept an apology and have a clear head to prepare the upcoming matches
which are difficult enough.
'He has a long-term contract for a reason and he wants to achieve big
things with his club Chelsea which means a lot to him, and from here we
go. I cannot predict the future but there was no intention behind all this
to change his club or change his ambition.'