‘The issue got too big, too noisy’ – Tuchel explains decision to drop Lukaku for Liverpool match

The
Belgium
international
was
omitted
from
the
Blues’
20-man
group
for
Sunday’s
crucial
clash
at
Stamford
Bridge
between
the
sides
sitting
second
and
third
in
the
Premier
League.

Tuchel
made
the
big
call
after
Lukaku
sparked
controversy
when
an
interview
conducted
with
Sky
Sport
Italia
earlier
this
month
was
aired
on
Thursday
and
Friday.

In
the
wide-ranging
interview,
Lukaku
said
he
“is
not
very
happy
with
the
situation”
he
finds
himself
in
at
Chelsea
and
expressed
his
desire
to
one
day
return
to
Inter.

Addressing
the
comments
on
Friday,
Tuchel
said
Lukaku’s
comments
bring
“noise
we
do
not
need”
at
Chelsea
ahead
of
such
an
important
match.

And,
after
leaving
the
28-year-old
out
of
his
squad
to
face
the
Reds,
Tuchel
explained
he
did
not
want
his
other
players
to
be
distracted.

“The
issue
got
too
big,
too
noisy,
so
close
to
the
match,
so
I
decided
to
protect
the
preparation
for
the
match,
so
that
is
why
he
is
out,”
he
told
Sky
Sports.

“Of
course
we
have
spoken,
twice
to
the
main
players,
but
after
that
we
had
to
realise
it
was
too
close
to
the
match,
it’s
too
big.

“We
delayed
the
decision
over
what
to
do,
but
while
are
delaying
we
have
to
protect
the
preparation
for
the
match,
we
have
a
big
game
to
play.

“Full
focus,
which
is
hard
to
get
even
without
this
decision,
was
easier
in
my
opinion
if
he
is
not
in
the
squad,
and
that
is
why
we
did
it.

“It
was
a
difficult
decision,
but
in
my
opinion
it
was
the
decision
to
take.”

Lukaku
scored
24
times
for
Inter
in
Serie
A
last
term
and
has
scored
seven
goals
in
18
appearances
since
returning
to
Chelsea
in
a
campaign
blighted
by
an
ankle
injury
and
a
positive
test
for
coronavirus.

The
former
Manchester
United
striker
had
scored
in
Chelsea’s
last
two
games
prior
to
facing
Liverpool.