Tuchel discussed England's injury situation in an interview and stated that the DR Congo is a difficult opponent.

Tuchel said the team is in great shape, as are the players. James and Quansah are still training individually, and both have trained alone, but "time is running out, and it will be a very tight race." He added that other players "will definitely be available."

When asked if it would be more difficult for the two, Tuchel said: "It will be more difficult, but not impossible." When asked if this World Cup presents one of the most difficult groups, he said: "Yes, it is difficult. Very difficult."

On whether England would become stronger in the knockout stages, Tuchel said that if the team understands its situation correctly and knows clearly where it comes from and where it is going, it will enter another phase. He said the team has now reached the round of 16, and if it continues advancing to the quarterfinals, the matches will no longer be "glamorous," but they must get results and win, because that is what the players demand of themselves and the fulfillment of their expectations.

Tuchel believes the next opponents will be very difficult, "almost a replica of the first two opponents: very physical, willing to defend, very disciplined and also very combative in defense."

Speaking about DR Congo, Tuchel said: "They have a unique history. As a country, this is only their second World Cup." He believes that the team's journey to this point, especially their comeback in their last match, is enough to make them very proud, but also equally "very dangerous."

Tuchel stated that DR Congo will defend as a unit, "they are ready to do anything to make our lives very difficult on the pitch." He said England is facing an opponent like that, and the team must match that intensity.

When asked about what preparations the team had made for low-block defenses, Tuchel said the team has refined its routines rather than learning new things. "Now is not the time to invent new tricks or pull out some magic tricks to find a way to break down a five or six-player defense." He believes that at this moment, individual players need to stand out, especially the five attacking players, to show individual skill at critical moments and details, turning half-chances into real chances and half-chances into goals.

Tuchel said the team needs more precise passes and even to force goals against the opponent, create problems and win penalties. "Now is the time to do decisive things, because it matters." He also emphasized that the opponent is a team that rarely concedes chances and rarely concedes goals.

On Bellingham's change of role, Tuchel said that Declan will play. As for whether Bellingham will continue to play in a slightly different way, he said: "You will have to wait until the match to see. But we will have enough attacking players on the pitch, and they are all in good shape. Bellingham is one of them, and he is ready to decide the match in the details, and we need more players to do that."

When asked why five of Bellingham's eight goals for England came at crucial moments in major tournaments, Tuchel said: "He likes it that way, that is his upward trajectory, and it is when he performs at his best." As for whether that surprised him, Tuchel replied: "Not at all. You cannot be surprised by the level at which Bellingham can play. I am just happy that he is willing to integrate into the team and complement his abilities."

When asked what "integrating into the team" meant, Tuchel said that Bellingham has done everything necessary to be a strong teammate.

Speaking about how many star players in this tournament have stood out, Tuchel said that the first requirement is commitment and unity, and England has been at the highest level over the last four weeks. "I mean, everyone accepts that, and the main stars accept it. That is how we got here. We came here as a team."

He continued by saying that even within the team, individual players need to create magic in these detailed moments, to create less obvious opportunities or to score goals that are not easy to score. He also stated that defenders need to support the attack from defense, establish stability and provide a foundation for the team to attack freely. "Of course, the responsibility ultimately falls on the players, and I believe they will take it."

On the fact that England has not conceded a goal in five consecutive matches, but the outside world still believes the defense is very open, Tuchel said he understood and agreed. "I even agree. We have adopted a very bold style of play. We were a bit too committed, we didn't push players back, but the high press was a bit excessive. I think we are the only team that continuously presses the opposing goalkeeper, which naturally puts us at a numerical disadvantage on the pitch sometimes, because we will press the opposing goalkeeper."

Tuchel said the team now needs to choose the moment of pressure better, protect itself more carefully and avoid losing balance in accidental situations, such as losing challenges or slipping. "We will do that. We are working on this problem and will build a solid foundation to get through the knockout stages."

When asked if the team "finds the strongest lineup first" or "discovers the strongest lineup during the match," Tuchel said both. He stated that he already knows 15 to 16 starting-level players and trusts them completely to start at the highest level, but also remains open to surprises, and anyone can stand out and claim a place at any time. "This can happen at any time, at any stage. So everyone should continue to strive to do what they do and remain committed."

Speaking about the team now entering a very complex area in the psychology of English football—penalty shootouts—Tuchel stated that the team has been preparing for this for years. "We respect this process and always follow it. Of course, the plan has been ready for a long time. It now seems that winning a tournament, on average, always involves one or two penalty shootouts. This is a very special part of football that requires special skills, and we are completely prepared to win if necessary."

Later, Tuchel was asked: Besides Harry Kane, who has participated in all major tournaments for England since 2018? He replied: "Jordan Pickford." After confirmation, Tuchel stated that this is very important in penalty shootouts.

Speaking about Pickford, Tuchel said he has worked with many excellent goalkeepers, including Buffon and Neuer, and good goalkeepers like Navas, but Pickford is a "very unique" goalkeeper. "He is very emotional and very extroverted on the pitch; but off the pitch, he is very calm and friendly. It is interesting to watch him, he is a very nice person."

Tuchel concluded by saying that the overall strength of England's goalkeeper group is very strong, the goalkeeper coach is also excellent, and the atmosphere, values and mutual encouragement within the entire goalkeeper group are very good. "Pickford is currently the first-choice goalkeeper, and he should do everything possible to maintain that position."

Traduzido por IA.

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