The German manager offered support for the striker after another underwhelming performance in the Premier League.
Romelu Lukaku was unable to make a single shot at goal during his side’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Belgian touched the ball only seven times, fewer than any other Premier League player who have played for 90 minutes.
Ahead of his side’s last-16 Champions League battle against Lille, Tuchel opened up on Lukaku’s form.
He told reporters (via BBC): “It’s not the time to laugh about him, he is our player and we will protect him.
“What can I do? I don’t know. Well, we have to deal with it,” Tuchel added. “The data is out there and speaks the language that he wasn’t in our game.
“With strikers, it can be like this when they lack confidence or depending on the game.”
Can the Belgian star bounce back vs Lille?
Lukaku showed significant signs of improvement during Chelsea’s Club World Cup campaign earlier this month. The 28-year-old scored a winner for the Blues against Al-Hilal before registering their first goal in the final vs Palmeiras.
Champions League would be the best stage for the Belgian star to bounce back from his poor display against Palace. Here are the odds of Lukaku scoring against Lille on Betfair.
Chelsea are the clear favourites when it comes to their overall chances of winning the home game.
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