Thomas Tuchel may be insisting everything is rosy in the Chelsea garden with Romelu Lukaku following the striker’s apology, but it’s situations like this that wreck title bids.
The Blues are now 10 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, who look in danger of running away with the title already.
Lukaku created a completely unnecessary situation at Stamford Bridge by speaking out about his club-record £97.5million from Inter Milan last summer.
And while Tuchel has made his hardline position clear with the 28-year-old – who has reportedly been fined £325,000 for the comments – he has also buried the hatchet.
Chelsea fans can use the best free bet codes online to back their side to still win the title at lengthy odds of 43/1, despite the cracks emerging between Lukaku and Tuchel.
“I feel that he is more impatient than anything else,” Tuchel said.
“He is impatient, he wants to be involved more, he wants to have big chances more. It is hard for him to accept that sometimes the grass does not grow faster when you pull it.
“Like in every transfer you have to accept there is a change of environment, there is a change of city, there is a change of culture, change of club, change of team-mates, there is a change of playing style, there is a change of league. He is not the first player to take some time, but while he was doing it he was already scoring and we were still in the situation to adapt to each other.
“It is of course our job to bring out the best in him, to find the right position, to find the right assists, to find the right connections and understand which movements he has a good connection with and which playing styles fit each other.
“Of course, in the end it’s on the player. We can just help to fulfil his potential and this is what we do and sometimes it’s faster, sometimes it’s a bit slower, sometimes it’s a bit easier. But in the end everyone does their very best to bring out their full potential and we are still convinced that there is room for improvement.
“The most important thing is he absolutely wants to do it. I feel a lot of impatience but I don’t feel unhappy, not at all.
Lukaku has not only angered his manager but also his teammates, with the Chelsea dressing room also against his decision to speak out about Inter Milan.
A source told The Athletic:
“I was speaking to one of the players and asked him if anyone was sticking up for Lukaku. He said no. None of them can believe he’s done it.”
Lukaku is back in the fold already at Chelsea, but it could take more time to rebuild that trust after he publicly spoke about wanting to return to Milan.
“First of all, I want to apologise to the Inter fans because I think the way I left should have been different. I should have spoken to you earlier because the things you did for me, for my family, for my mother, for my son, are things that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
“Because I’m 28, my family was happy in Milan and I had (I still have) a flat in Milan. I said to myself: next year my son will come and live here. And my mother too. We’ll live all together in Milan. We’ll be happy.
“The only reason [for leaving] was the extension. I knew that if Simone Inzaghi were to become our coach we would have still had a chance to win. So it wasn’t because [Antonio] Conte left. I think if they had offered me a contract extension, you and I would not be talking in London right now, but in Milan.
“I hope from the bottom of my heart that I can one day go back to Inter – not right at the end of my career but when I’m still at a good level so we can hopefully win more (trophies).
When asked about a reunion with Lautauro Martinez at Chelsea, Lukaku even said: “No, stay there. I will come back.”
