Tuchel urges Lukaku to seize chance if Chelsea call on him at Wembley

Thomas Tuchel has urged Romelu Lukaku to follow in Timo Werner’s footsteps and grasp the opportunity if the Belgian is given the chance for Chelsea at Wembley. Werner is in pole position to start in attack against Crystal Palace in Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final after scoring three goals against Southampton and Real Madrid in the past week.

Lukaku is available again after missing those games but the striker has struggled to impress since his return to Stamford Bridge last summer. Although he has managed three goals during their FA Cup run, Lukaku, who was fined by the club for an unsanctioned interview with Sky Italia last year, has not scored in the Premier League since December.

When asked if Lukaku needed to take his chance in the way Werner has over the past week, Tuchel said: “For sure. He had a huge chance against Real Madrid [at home] and things can go so fast. Nobody knows what this goal would have done for us if he had taken his chance with the late header in the first leg.

“It is exactly what he needs to do. Wait, be patient, work hard and put the team first, be ready to help the team, because as a striker you can help within seconds.”

Werner has also failed to solidify his place in the Chelsea attack since joining from RB Leipzig in 2020, with his stuttering form holding him back, but Tuchel said it will be difficult to leave the striker out of the semi-final based on recent performances.

Tuchel said: “Especially for strikers, things can be turned around in minutes, in moments. Whole careers can be upside down and in any direction but always as a striker you can have a chance to put things into your favour, as a substitute or if you have the chance to perform from the beginning.”

The former chancellor George