Contrasting this big win with the previous two results, the boss said:
‘I think it tells us that we are not a team to escape with only 80 to 90 per cent of our energy, commitment and investment. We are a special group when we have the priorities right – if we are committed, if we defend with courage. This is our foundation to then show the quality and that we are a strong group and this is a special group of players.
‘There are some reasons why it’s not always easy for us to have this hunger and the commitment and the physical input, because we come from an awful lot of matches. That’s why it’s not always easy, but this is the reality we need, and it’s not about blaming the players. I can understand there a lot of reasons why it was hard for us often. It just proves the point again today.’
Having started Timo Werner against Brentford but then left him on the bench midweek against Real, Tuchel restored him to the side today. The striker responded with two goals as well as hitting the woodwork three times.
‘We decided to play with two strikers, it was his favourite position against an opponent where we knew they would press high,’ noted Tuchel. ‘The connection was amazing with Kai and Kova. He loves to play with them and we found spaces in behind because it’s a higher attacking opponent. So it was set out for him to deliver and make a statement that he does not give up and is still an important player of this club.
Tuchel remains unsure whether Cesar Azpilicueta, who missed the game due to Covid, or injured Romelu Lukaku will be available for Wednesday’s game in Madrid.
‘He [Lukaku] wasn’t in training yesterday, he was in too much pain,’ he reported. ‘There is not a lot of time, we have only two training sessions, and we leave the country on Monday. We need to wait, I have no answer right now.’
