“He couldn’t play … and it wasn’t the first time”: Thomas Tuchel reveals that Andreas Christensen withdrew from SEVERAL games before Chelsea stopped questioning the failed Barcelona star
- Andreas Christensen misses Chelsea final loss to Liverpool FA Cup at Wembley
- It was revealed that he had to start, but withdrew hours before the start
- Thomas Tuchel confirmed this, admitting that this is not the first time he has done so
- The Danish defender is due to leave Stamford Bridge for Barcelona next month
By Harry Slavin For Mailonline
Posted: 13:56, 18 May 2022 | Updated: 14:41, 18 May 2022
Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Andreas Christensen has withdrawn from Chelsea’s final FA Cup clash with Liverpool this morning, adding that this is not the first time the defender has left the team for the match in a short time.
The Danish international – who will join Barcelona at the end of the season – was not injured, but told head coach Thomas Tuchel on Saturday that he did not want to be considered for the match because he did not feel ready to play. The 26-year-old footballer complained of stomach problems before matches.
Sportsmail previously revealed that Christensen, who is the other half, Catherine Friis is currently pregnant with their first child, would have started the game if he had been available to choose and his decision to retire from the team proved to be a big blow to plans. of Chelsea.
Andreas Christensen withdraws from Chelsea final for FA Cup final this morning, confirmed Thomas Tuchel
Tuhel spoke at a press conference before Chelsea’s clash with Leicester City
His departure from the team’s hotel on Saturday morning left his teammates confused and shocked.
Speaking about the incident before Chelsea’s clash with Leicester, Tuhel said: “Andreas came to the match this morning to tell me he was not ready.
“He had his reasons, they remain secret and confidential. It was not the first time, as you can see. We have had the same situations in recent weeks.
“We thought we were making good progress. He played very hard in the match before the final. The conversation took place and we must respect it. He still has our support, but we are not sure about tomorrow.
However, Tuhel defended his player, insisting that it was not the case that the player refused to appear on the field.
“I don’t think he doesn’t want to play. There is a big difference, “he added.
Tuhel confirmed that this is not the first time the Danish defender has resigned from the team
“I do not know the reason, but he is always very nervous. I do not know what to say. We had to accept it and we will accept it.
“I try not to take things personally. I still believe that Andreas wanted to play and I still believe he can.
“He has been struggling in recent weeks, as you can see when he was not on the team, although he was physically available. So it wasn’t entirely from the blue sky.
“This was not the ideal situation for us, because we thought we had prepared it in the best possible way in the match against Leeds. He is a key player and if you reach the final, you want to have your best players, and that was not the case. ‘
Shortly afterwards, the Chelsea spokesman stopped asking additional questions about Christensen.
The 26-year-old, who is reportedly earning £ 78,000 a week at Stamford Bridge, played all 90 minutes of his 3-0 win over Leeds three days before the final.
Christensen seems ready to move to Barcelona in the summer with a free shuttle
Last month, Christensen withdrew from the starting lineup in the moments leading up to the 1-0 victory over West Ham, after suffering stomach cramps before the start.
In the 4-2 loss to Arsenal, also last month, the central defender asked to be removed at halftime – Tuhel confirmed that Christensen made the request after the match.
He also missed clashes with Everton, Manchester United, Middlesbrough and Luton during that campaign. He also missed the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool in February.
Similarly, former Chelsea manager Maurizio Sari said of the Dane in 2019: “You know very well that Christensen always has stomach pains on match days.
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