Tuchel sends warning to under-performing Chelsea stars ahead of FA Cup final

Thomas Tuchel has given his Chelsea squad a warning and offered them an opportunity at the same time as he says that no one is guaranteed a place in the team for the FA Cup final next week.

The Blues have not been at their best in recent weeks, suffering defeats to Arsenal and Everton, while drawing with Manchester United in their last four games.

Tuchel’s side were ousted from the Champions League by Real Madrid and look set to finish third in the Premier League after falling out of the title race some time ago.

The one thing they still have to play for is the FA Cup, in which they meet Liverpool in the final on 14 May.

After the shock loss to Everton last weekend, Tuchel was asked if this has been a week of resetting his squad, which he said it has indeed been, with no one safe in his team and anyone being able to win a spot in the FA Cup final starting XI next weekend.

‘We cannot forget what a player did up until here and what role he played. But it is a little bit like that [a reset], and it was the time to do it,’ said Tuchel.

‘Let’s start from scratch and see who’s ready for Saturday, who takes care in three training sessions, so everybody has the feeling that he is ready.’

Romelu Lukaku could be one to benefit from this policy, having been out of Tuchel’s starting XI but with time to impress him before the trip to Wembley.

The German sounded pleased with the Belgian ahead of this weekend’s Premier League action and he has rewarded Lukaku with a start against Wolves on Saturday afternoon.

‘We treat him pretty normal and he behaves pretty normal,’ said Tuchel of Lukaku.

‘That’s what I loved about him from the first minute. I never had the feeling that I train a superstar.

‘I train a hungry guy, who wants to score,