Thomas Tuchel professed his support for out-of-form goalkeeper Edouard Mendy after he produced an erratic display in Chelsea's 2-1 win over West Ham, insisting the Senegal international has been unlucky recently.
Mendy was rooted to his goalline from a West Ham corner when Chelsea fell behind on Saturday, Michail Antonio capitalising on a goalmouth scramble to put the Hammers ahead.
Although substitutes Ben Chilwell and Kai Havertz scored a goal apiece to turn the game around, Mendy was again involved late on as Maxwel Cornet had a fierce right-footed finish chalked off.
Referee Andy Madley was advised by VAR to check the goal, and eventually ruled that Jarrod Bowen had fouled Mendy in the build-up.
Visiting manager David Moyes labelled that decision "scandalous" and "rotten" as he accused Mendy of feigning injury, but Tuchel insisted the goalkeeper was suffering after the incident.
"He was in a lot of pain, and we have to see. It's too early to comment on that," Tuchel said post-match.
"I think at the moment he is a bit unlucky in what he is doing. In training, he is fantastic, and he is, in general, a very calm and self-reflective guy who is aware that he lacks a little bit of luck at the moment.
"Things do not go in his favour. If he has maybe a situation where his action isn't 100 per cent clear, he gets punished for it massively.
"He is just in this moment, and it feels like it's not so much his fault. I have the feeling because he tries everything, he is very calm and focused. We will keep on supporting him."
Despite eventually clinching a much-needed victory, Chelsea toiled for long periods at Stamford Bridge, and Tuchel will hope the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang provides an attacking spark.
Aubameyang was in the stands at Stamford Bridge and is set to begin training with the Blues imminently, though Tuchel is unsure when he will be able to play after sustaining a jaw injury when his home was invaded by burglars.
"He trains tomorrow, but I cannot tell you if he trains with full contact or individually," Tuchel revealed.
"We'll need to see. He has the [protective] mask, and the doctors tell me the mask is good and he feels comfortable with it.
"So he would be okay, but we need to check it, and we need to check it with no contact, half-contact, and then full contact.
"We need to see how he feels about it. It's too early to make a prediction, but he'll be in training tomorrow morning, and we'll see."
Chelsea were the Premier League's biggest spenders in the transfer window, shelling out substantial fees for the likes of Aubameyang, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly.
But Tuchel thinks the stability offered by the closure of the window will benefit his team, adding: "For us, it's an immense boost to have the window closed. It's simply like this.
"We now have the chance to demand full commitment. There is no way out anymore. We are the group for Chelsea that wants to have the best possible results and outcomes.
"We have to take responsibility now from here. I am happy with everybody who is in the group. There is a reason for everyone to be in the group."
Football rumours: Arsenal keen on signing Alexander Isak and Michael Olise
The Guardian reports that Arsenal are considering bringing in a striker and winger this summer, with Newcastle forward Alexander Isak and Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise among their targets.
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has managerial options outside of Bayern Munich and will make a decision in the next week or so, his agent says via the Metro.
Ex-Liverpool and Everton boss Rafael Benitez will take over as manager at Sao Paulo, less than month after he was sacked by Celta Vigo, claims The Sun.
Chelsea are preparing for offers from Liverpool and Ligue 1 outfit Paris St Germain for England international defender Levi Colwill.
Social media round-upPlayers to watchBenjamin Sesko: Chelsea and Manchester United are monitoring the RB Leipzig forward, who has a 50 million euro (£42.8 million) release clause, says Ben Jacobs.
Serge Gnabry: Tottenham are interested in the former Arsenal forward, with Bayern Munich willing to sell the Germany international, reports Football Insider.
On this day in 2021: Spurs sack Jose Mourinho days before Carabao Cup final
Jose Mourinho was sacked as manager of Tottenham on this day in 2021, less than a week before he was due to lead them out for the Carabao Cup final.
Spurs’ Premier League form was what ultimately cost the Portuguese his job, with his last match in charge a 2-2 draw with Everton which left Tottenham seventh, five points off the Champions League places and with just one win from their last five league games.
Mourinho’s dismissal after just 17 months at the helm was announced hours after Tottenham had confirmed they intended to join a breakaway European Super League, plans that were swiftly aborted after fans’ backlash, although that was unrelated to the Portuguese’s axing.
The 58-year-old was denied the chance of delivering the club’s first piece of silverware in 13 years, with academy coach Ryan Mason put in caretaker charge as Tottenham lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the EFL Cup showpiece.
Spurs striker Harry Kane, whose form that season had been a bright spot with 47 goal contributions in 43 games, wrote on Twitter: “Thank you for everything Boss. A pleasure to have worked together. I wish you all the best for your next chapter.”
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy spoke of his regret following Mourinho’s departure, having long coveted the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss.
Levy said on the club’s official website: “Jose and his coaching staff have been with us through some of our most challenging times as a club.
“Jose is a true professional who showed enormous resilience during the (Covid-19) pandemic. On a personal level I have enjoyed working with him and regret that things have not worked out as we both had envisaged.
“He will always be welcome here and we should like to thank him and his coaching staff for their contribution.”
Mason remained steward until the end of the season before making way for Mourinho’s fellow Portuguese Nuno Espirito Santo, who had a disappointing four-month spell in charge
Michail Antonio felt officials were against West Ham after European exit
Michail Antonio felt West Ham were up against 14 players as they bowed out of the Europa League to Bayer Leverkusen.
Antonio’s early header gave the Hammers hope of overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit and inflicting a first defeat of the season on Xabi Alonso’s new Bundesliga champions.
But the bustling striker claimed he did not get a decision all night from card-happy Spanish referee Jose Maria Sanchez and his two assistants.
“It doesn’t feel like you’re playing against 11 men, it feels like you’re playing against 13 or 14 including the two linos,” Antonio told TNT Sports.
“You just have to keep pushing and try and make the decisions go your way. And they just weren’t. We had to keep playing our way and keep being professional.”
West Ham pushed gamely for a second goal to take the tie to extra-time, but as they inevitably flagged Leverkusen substitute Jeremie Frimpong scored with a deflected shot in the last minute to make it 1-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.
It was a valiant effort but ultimately a sad end to another European adventure for last season’s Conference League winners.
“We’re very proud of ourselves, to achieve what we’ve achieved over the last few years is incredible,” added Antonio.
“Three back-to-back years in European quarter-finals I would never have thought that. We were a yo-yo team, fighting relegation, then into Europe.”
Sanchez booked 11 players and sent off West Ham coach Billy McKinlay, and Sebastian Parrilla from Leverkusen’s staff after a touchline altercation.
Asked if that skirmish had anything to do with some bad-tempered exchanges between the benches in last week’s first leg, Alonso said with a grin: “I wouldn’t say no.”
Hammers boss David Moyes was not keen to be drawn on the officiating, but he did say: “I watch a lot of Spanish football but if that’s the way it is you wouldn’t want to watch too many Spanish matches.”
On his side’s performance, he added: “It was a brilliant team performance, I have to say over the two games.
“We played a really good team and we had chances to be two or three up. I couldn’t fault the players at all. If I was going out of Europe I wanted to go out like that.”
In the first half Leverkusen looked as though they may have celebrated their first Bundesliga crown on Sunday a little too much, and Alonso admitted they needed to improve after the break.
“For sure it was a thrilling game,” he said. “Two different halves. First half we knew West Ham would come with high intensity and we were not comfortable with that.
“After they scored one we were lucky not to concede a second one. But we showed character in the second half and the substitutes had a good impact. It was a lesson for us.”
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