“It was very important” - Tuchel suggests Chelsea star’s miss may have cost Blues the tie against Real Madrid
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has suggested that Romelu Lukaku's agonizing miss may end up costing the Blues their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.
Brought on as a second-half substitute, the Belgian forward was given a golden opportunity to bring Tuchel's men back into contention. This happened when a sweeping cross was sent in towards the imposing striker in the 69th minute.
With no defenders in and around him, Lukaku failed to convert, placing his header wide of the post as the Blues went on to lose the game 3-1. It was Karim Benzema's scintillating hat-trick that put Real Madrid in control.
📸 - Lukaku with a free header but he can’t get it on target.. https://t.co/dybio84X5D
Tuchel spoke after the game with regard to Lukaku's miss, suggesting that it may end up costing his side their place in the Champions League.
He told reporters (via Football London):
"It was very important. There are no longer away goals so if we have only a one-goal deficit or a draw, then you see the momentum is back when we score. We could have even equalised. There were a lot of spaces and chances. But the individual decisions today were far from our level of standards."
He continued:
"But yes, to come back with a chance like this at 3-1, after 16 shots in the second half alone, then goals are crucial. We didn't get them. We gave the third one away. It is simply impossible. We cannot demand that we turn it around if this is our foundation for this game."
Thomas Tuchel on Romelu Lukaku's miss:
"Very important miss. There are no away goals so if you have a one-goal deficit than it means more. The momentum was back after we scored & we had the chance to equalise..."
[via @AdamNewson]
The disappointing miss sums up what has been a miserable return to Stamford Bridge for Lukaku this season.
Romelu Lukaku's woes at Chelsea continue
The forward joined the side in a club-record £97.8 million deal from Inter Milan last summer. He scored three goals in his first three Premier League appearances and looked like living up to the huge goalscoring standards he set at Inter.
But his form suddenly dipped and with it, so did his mood at the west London club. Having found it difficult to adapt to Tuchel's set-up, he spoke to Sky Italia in a damning interview where he criticized the Chelsea manager's system.
He would subsequently be fined £325,000 by the club and dropped by Tuchel for a game against Liverpool. But the player has never bounced back from the ordeal and his place has been usurped in the first-team by Kai Havertz. who is now deployed as a false nine.
Havertz not only scored in the game against Real Madrid but has been consistently good in that position. This season, he has managed to register 12 goals and five assists in 37 matches, across competitions.
What is going on with Romelu Lukaku?
Slaven Bilić, @carra23 and @micahrichards discuss how the Chelsea striker can rediscover his form. https://t.co/VFDjfbDe4G
There are rumors that he has his heart set on a return to Inter Milan. He had talked of his desire to return to the Italian side one day, during his interview with Sky Italia.
The latest setback for the former Manchester United forward will only add to the speculation over his future. Especially now with Tuchel's ominous words on his miss against Real Madrid.