Tuchel unsure if Christensen has played his last game for Chelsea

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel admitted yesterday that he is unsure whether defender Andreas Christensen will play again for the club.

The Dane pulled out of the squad for the FA Cup final defeat against Liverpool at the weekend and has been heavily linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona.

Chelsea have already lost the services of German defender Antonio Rudiger – who will join Barca’s arch-rivals Real Madrid this summer – and it looks like Christensen will also be heading for the exit.

And, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League game at home to Leicester City tonight, Tuchel revealed that he did not know whether the 26-year-old will be available to take on the Foxes – or for Sunday’s final game of the season at Watford.

“I’m not sure yet if he’s involved tomorrow and at the weekend,” said Tuchel of Christensen, who can leave on a free transfer when his contract runs out this summer. “Andreas came in the morning of the FA Cup final to speak to me and tell me that he’s not ready to play the match, not to start or be on the bench.

“He had his reasons, they stay private and confidential. But it was not the first time as you can see over the last weeks that we had some of the same situations.

“That’s why he did not play so regularly. The conversation took place, we had to respect it and we of course respected it.

“It was very short notice before the cup final, and not only this match, other matches in the other weeks. There’s no chance I have any prediction for tomorrow or the weekend.”

Tuchel insisted he will not take Christensen’s situation “personally”.

“We had to accept it and we will accept it,” said the German, whose team are third in the table and have already secured a top-four finish.

Timo Werner, Mateo Kovacic and Callum Hudson-Odoi will all miss the Leicester game. Kai Havertz faces a late fitness test on his hamstring problem.