Ready or not? Tuchel confirms player is not yet fit for 90 minutes ahead of Everton game
Ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League game against Everton at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was asked if Lukaku is ready to play for 90 minutes.
However, the Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku has started just once – the 3-3 draw against Zenit in the Champions League – since his injury return.
Lukaku was a late substitute (87th minute) in Chelsea’s 3-2 victory over Leeds United on Saturday in the Premier League.
Tuchel said: “Fitness we can debate endlessly. The player will say he is fit but maybe the fitness coaches will agree and disagree. Then comes the head coach and maybe he disagrees.
“We let him play 70-something minutes against Zenit and then we had travelling, a lack of sleep and an intense opponent with Leeds because we decided not to put him in this turmoil I think he can play 70 minutes but we will see.”