Matt Law, a renowned journalist for The Daily Telegraph, has written that Tuchel understands how to manage Manchester City players within the England team. As Chelsea manager, Tuchel had to operate under severe restrictions after the club was sanctioned due to Roman Abramovich's ties to Russia.

As England manager, Tuchel knows better than anyone how players respond when their lives are completely disrupted. He is therefore acutely aware of the ripple effect that Manchester City's controversial situation could have on his England squad.

Manchester City's case differs from Chelsea's, which was forced to operate under restrictions after its former owner Abramovich was sanctioned. However, the anxiety felt by Manchester City's players and coaching staff as they await the verdict is similar to what Chelsea experienced at that time.

In March 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the British government imposed sanctions on Abramovich, plunging Chelsea into an uncertain future. Overnight, no one 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 most of the Premier League's charges fails, the club could face severe sanctions.

The Premier League announced shocking findings regarding Manchester City's financial irregularities on the eve of England's match against the Czech Republic. After the match, Tuchel admitted he was deeply troubled and had not yet spoken to the three Manchester City players in his squad—Guehi, O'Reilly, and Anderson.

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

There is currently no evidence suggesting that Guehi and O'Reilly's performance against Spain, or Anderson's against the Czech Republic, was linked to Manchester City's situation. However, Tuchel is well aware that this possibility cannot be easily dismissed.

O'Reilly returned to Manchester City due to injury, missing the match against the Czech Republic. When Tuchel's team faces Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday, Guehi and Anderson will have three additional days to contemplate their club's predicament and CEO Ferran Soriano's statement.

Manchester City's crisis could intensify, potentially affecting Tuchel's England preparations. With less than two years until Euro 2024, Anderson, Guehi, and O'Reilly are key players for the team.

Tuchel needs these three players performing at their best. However, no one can be certain which league Manchester City will play in when Euro arrives. The impact of this situation on these players and their pitch performance is currently immeasurable.

When Chelsea first faced operational restrictions, Tuchel attempted 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 mounting rumors, Tuchel admitted following Chelsea's draw against Wolves how difficult it was to continue as if nothing was wrong.

Ironically, Tuchel believed the international break gave Chelsea's players time to grasp the gravity of the situation and leave the club to discuss it privately with their national teammates.

"It is undeniable that this is a distraction. The question is, even if 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 affected negatively, quite the opposite. When the sanctions were first announced, our determination was very strong.

Then what happened was a very normal human reaction. During the international break, when 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 face an uncertain future today, Chelsea could not offer new contracts to Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen at that time, and both defenders eventually left for free.

Tuchel said: "Players want to have the confidence to compete; they want to know what the situation will be next season. Players like Toni (Rudiger) eventually chose to leave. As days pass, the situation becomes increasingly precarious. It is not entirely without hope, but it is becoming more difficult. This really does have an impact, and we are still trying to remain competitive and win. It is not an excuse, but it is an objective reality."

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

This widespread turmoil makes it impossible for Tuchel to isolate himself and his players. Fortunately, drawing on his experience at Chelsea, he can communicate individually with players with experience and empathy.

Tuchel also understands that the most difficult days for Guehi, O'Reilly, and Anderson may still lie ahead. Beyond the Premier League's decision, once the domestic season resumes, Manchester City's players and staff will face intense public scrutiny.

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

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

Traduit par IA.

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