Romelu Lukaku’s future at Chelsea is increasingly up in the air after Chelsea dropped him for the Carabao Cup Final against Liverpool, as Thomas Tuchel explains the ex-Inter striker isn’t the right ‘fit.’
The centre-forward was signed for a record-breaking €113m in August 2021, after winning the Scudetto at Inter with Antonio Conte.
However, the Belgian has found that Chelsea’s style of football is very different to the one Conte had put in place at San Siro.
He scored 10 goals in 28 competitive games this season, along with two assists, but was again dropped for a big game today, the Carabao Cup Final against Liverpool at Wembley.
“If you look at the history, he starts a lot of matches,” Tuchel told Sky Sports.
“Today, for us, it is a bit more about running and running behind the line with Kai (Havertz). Christian (Pulisic) and Mason (Mount) for tactical points of view are a better fit. It’s nice to have Rom from the bench.”
Italy international Jorginho, who was one of the main contenders for the Ballon d’Or in 2021, is also again left on the bench for a major Chelsea match this season.
These decisions will continue to spur reports that both Lukaku and Jorginho could leave Chelsea in the summer, as the club is not getting the best out of these players.
Liverpool, who will face Inter in the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16, did have Thiago Alcantara in the starting XI, but he picked up an injury in the warm-up and was replaced by Naby Keita.
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— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 27, 2022