Matt Law, a respected journalist at The Daily Telegraph, has written that Tuchel understands how to manage Manchester City players within the England squad. As Chelsea's head coach, Tuchel ran the club under severe restrictions due to sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich.

England manager Tuchel knows better than anyone how players react when their lives are turned upside down. Therefore, he is acutely aware that Manchester City's controversial situation could have repercussions for his England squad.

Manchester City's situation is not identical to Chelsea's circumstances when they were forced to operate under restrictions following sanctions against former owner Roman Abramovich. However, the current anxious wait for resolution among Manchester City's players and staff shares similarities with Chelsea's difficult period at that time.

In March 2022, after the Russia-Ukraine conflict escalated, the British government sanctioned Abramovich, plunging Chelsea into an uncertain future. Overnight, nobody knew what lay ahead for the club, both on and off the pitch.

Manchester City's players and staff now face even greater uncertainty: if their appeal against all but one of the Premier League's charges fails, the club faces severe sanctions.

The Premier League issued a stark statement about Manchester City's financial irregularities on the eve of England's match against the Czech Republic. After the match, Tuchel admitted he had not yet spoken with the three Manchester City players in his squad—Guéhi, O'Reilly, and Anderson—and felt deeply uncomfortable.

Just 24 hours after Manchester City's guilty verdict was announced, Guéhi and O'Reilly made errors that led to goals conceded against Spain. Guéhi recovered his form in the Prague match, while O'Reilly withdrew from training with injury and Anderson underperformed against the Czech Republic.

Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that Guéhi and O'Reilly's performances against Spain, or Anderson's against the Czech Republic, were related to Manchester City's situation. However, Tuchel is well aware that this possibility cannot be easily dismissed.

O'Reilly returned to Manchester City with injury and missed the match against the Czech Republic. By the time Tuchel's team faces Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday, Guéhi and Anderson will have three more days to contemplate their club's difficulties and the statements made by chief executive Ferran Soriano.

Manchester City's crisis risks escalating further, which will also affect Tuchel's preparations for the England squad. With less than two years until the European Championship, Anderson, Guéhi, and O'Reilly are key players in the squad.

Tuchel needs these three players to maintain peak performance. But nobody can be certain which league Manchester City will compete in when the European Championship begins. The impact of this case on the players and their on-pitch performance remains incalculable.

When Chelsea was first placed under operational restrictions, Tuchel tried to project strength, even joking that if necessary, he could drive a seven-seater van to transport players to Lille for a Champions League match.

However, after two months of anxiety and constant rumours, Tuchel revealed after Chelsea's draw with Wolves how difficult it was to carry on as normal.

Ironically, Tuchel believed it was the international break that gave Chelsea's players time to recognise the severity of the situation and discuss it privately with their international teammates.

"It is undeniable that this is a distraction. The question is, even when we are worried and disturbed, what level of competitiveness can we maintain?" Tuchel said.

"Before the international break, we performed very well and our results were barely negatively affected—quite the opposite. When the sanctions were first announced, we were very determined.

Then a very normal human reaction occurred. During this international break, when the players are away from the club, they are exposed to all sorts of external information and think more about the entire situation. And now this difficult situation has dragged on too long."

Just as Manchester City players now face an uncertain future, Chelsea at that time could not offer new contracts to Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen, and both defenders ultimately left for free.

Tuchel stated: "Players want to have the confidence to compete, they want to know what the situation will be next season. Players like Toni (Rüdiger) ultimately chose to be transferred. As the days passed, the situation became more difficult. It is not completely hopeless, but it is becoming increasingly difficult. This has an impact, and we are still trying to remain competitive and win. This is not an excuse, but it is an objective reason."

After the match against Spain, England captain Harry Kane acknowledged that Manchester City's case was discussed within the squad. It is certain that some of the sarcastic jokes circulating on social media among rival Manchester City fans have also reached the ears of some of Tuchel's players.

The ramifications of this storm are widespread, and Tuchel cannot isolate himself and his players from it. Fortunately, with his Chelsea experience, he can communicate individually with players with both understanding and empathy.

Tuchel is also aware that the most difficult days for Guéhi, O'Reilly, and Anderson may still lie ahead. Beyond the Premier League verdict, Manchester City's players and staff will also face public scrutiny once the domestic league resumes.

Next Sunday, a week later, Enzo Maresca's team will visit Anfield. In the eyes of Liverpool supporters, even if these Manchester City players (including the three England internationals) had nothing to do with the charges, they will not be spared. Across England, Guéhi and others will be associated with Manchester City's ownership and management and will face criticism. They must possess strong mental resilience.

Tuchel's only hope is that these Manchester City players in the England squad receive a clear verdict well before the European Championship begins.

Traducido por IA.

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