Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Andreas Christensen withdrew from the Chelsea squad for the FA Cup finals with Liverpool in the morning before the game.
According to Thomas Tuchel, the 26-year-old Demank was due to start for Chelsea in the final after impressing in their last two games. although his decision to withdraw from the game was private, the entire Chelsea locker room was shocked by the actions of the defender.
In his absence, Trevoh Chalobal slotted in for the Chelsea defender. Chelsea went on to lose the game on Penalty after both sides had failed to find the back of the net after 90 minutes.
Christensen is set to leave Chelsea for Barcelona on a free transfer this summer and it has been reported that the 26 years old defender had completed his medicals and is due to leave when the season ends.
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What did Tuchel say?
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Chelsea Premier League game with Leicester City, the German said: “Not sure yet if he is involved tomorrow and on the weekend. Well, Andreas came in the morning of the match (FA Cup final) to inform me and speak to me.
“ He told me he was not ready to play the match, to start the match and be on the bench. He had his reasons. They stay private and confidential. It was not the first time as you can see over the last weeks that we had some of the same situations.
“ That’s why he did not play regularly over the last weeks. We thought we are in a good progression, development because he played a strong match before the final against Leeds. The conversation took place. We had to respect it. Of course. He has our support still but for tomorrow I am unsure.
“Probably unlikely (for the weekend). It was very short notice before the cup final, not only before this match. Other matches the weeks before. No chance I have a prediction before tomorrow or the weekend.”
He added: “I don’t think it’s that he does not want to play, he was not able to play. It’s a big difference. We had more than this conversation but on Saturday morning he finally told me.”
Thomas Tuchel also insisted that he will not take Andreas Christensen’s behavior on Saturday personally.
Thomas Tuchel said: “We had to accept it and we will accept it. I try the best I can to not take things personally and I still believe Andreas wanted to play these kinds of matches, I still believe he could in terms of potential and what he gives to the team, that’s why he was a key player for us.
“ He struggled over the last weeks, as you can see when he was not in the squad or not playing although he was physically available, not injured.
“That was not completely out of the blue. That’s why it was, yeah, not the ideal scenario for us. We thought we prepared in the best way possible for him in Leeds where he managed a lot of pressure on us in a very impressive way. We thought we had him available.
“He is a key player. If you arrive in a final against Liverpool you want everybody available which is not the case.”
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