圖赫爾：阿斯皮利奎塔沒問題、我們試著激發最好的薩烏爾 - 切爾西足球俱樂部 Chelsea Football Club

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/12/19/
tuchel-updates-on--fantastic-captain--azpilicueta-s-future-and-e

Tuchel updates on 'fantastic captain' Azpilicueta's future and explains
Saul's struggles

19 Dec 2021


Thomas Tuchel remains calm about the contract situation of club captain
Cesar Azpilcueta, insisting the Spaniard has 'all possibilities to stay
here as long as possible', even though his current contract expires in the
summer.


https://i.imgur.com/6DXLALx.jpg


The defender recently moved past Dennis Wise up to seventh in the list of
our highest all-time appearance-makers and will be targeting the Club
World Cup trophy in February to complete the set of having won everything
on offer as a Chelsea player.


Azpilicueta is one of a handful of Blues defenders whose future is the
subject of speculation, however Tuchel does not feel there is a need to
panic about the situation.


'I don't see any problem here,' said the boss. 'The situation between
Azpi, me and the club is very clear. He is our captain. He has all
possibilities to stay here as long as possible and become the legend he
already is. He is a fantastic captain and a fantastic player.'


Tuchel also offered an explanation as to why the 32-year-old had featured
a little less so far this season. Between late October and early this
month, Azpilicueta started just two of 10 Chelsea matches, although he is
currently on a run of three successive starts for the Blues.


'If there are some weeks where he does not play so much, like in the last
weeks, there are some reasons,' claimed Tuchel. 'First of all, he was
injured in his shoulder. Second of all, the team played very strong in his
positions with Trevoh [Chalobah] and Andreas [Christensen], and at
wing-back with Reecey [James].


https://i.imgur.com/c4WObxb.jpg
Azpi recently overtook Wise on the list of all-time Chelsea
appearance-makers


'That's how it is. If there is any player who knows it is like this, it's
Azpi. He is very calm. He has everything in his own hands. I see no signs
we should be worried about it.'


Another Spaniard in the squad who has found game time difficult to come by
of late is Saul. The midfielder has been deployed in defence, midfield and
attack in recent games, partly due to the team running out of options due
to injury and Covid-19, though Tuchel admits that tinkering has made
adapting to English football even tougher for the on-loan Atletico Madrid
man.


'Does Saul feel like the same guy as at Atletico, with the same role, the
same responsibility?' pondered the Chelsea head coach. 'No, not yet.


'Does he struggle? Yes, he struggles. Is he the first player to struggle
in the Premier League? No, and he will not be the last.


https://i.imgur.com/vMRqSEx.jpg
Saul in action against Everton earlier in the week


'We will protect our players and I will protect my players always. He
played against Everton as a number 6, a number 9 and as a wing-back. Is
that fair to him? Also no; so put it in context and then maybe you will
have a more moderate picture and a more moderate reaction.


'I hope Saul does not read it [social media] and why should he. He knows
what we think about him and he knows what he has to do to improve. He is
doing everything. We are trying to find the best version of him and we
will not stop pushing.'

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When it comes to a crisis, still keep on running.

You believe in power. It's mental power.


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