Manchester City’s guilty verdict has been a “big topic in the camp” according to England boss Thomas Tuchel ahead of Saturday’s Nations League game with Croatia.
The Premier League announced on Tuesday what had been reported last week; that an independent commission deemed the club had systematically broken financial rules with “sham” contracts designed to inflate revenue and reduce costs.
The scale of the deception, reported to have totalled more than £900million, was breathtaking and a number of sanctions now lie on the table. City have continued to deny any wronging and on Friday lodged an appeal after declaring the verdict “unsafe”.
The story has dominated the news agenda this week and Tuchel admitted it had also been discussed among the Three Lions players, including Manchester City duo Elliot Anderson and Marc Guehi.
“We had some time off between the matches and it is a big subject,” said Tuchel. “Everyone speaks about it, so there is no other voice needed. I am glad to not be that voice. No-one needs my half knowledge on the topic.
“Of course, the players talk about it. City players talk about it. We talk with them but only briefly. They are ready to go tomorrow. But of course, it’s a big topic in the camp.”
Tuchel would consider picking City players for England if they are relegated
One possible sanction for City is relegation from the Premier League and Tuchel said he would consider picking players from outside the top flight if it came to that.
He added: “There is always a possibility. I would always try to pick the best team for the camp, occasion, the tournament. I will never rule out that because they don’t play in the top flight in their country. We need to look at it case by case.”
Saturday’s game will be played behind closed doors – bar the presence of local schoolchildren and a limited number of England fans – due to repeated misdemeanours from Croatian supporters.
And Tuchel was wary of his players switching off due to a lack of atmosphere inside the HNK Stadium in Rijeka.
“First of all, I am happy for the children who will be at the match tomorrow, that they have the chance to come and watch the game and players that close,” said the former PSG and Chelsea boss. “I am glad that our 100 or 200 fans have the chance to be here. It means a lot to us. The most loyal fans have the chance to watch the game.
“To be behind closed doors, it’s never nice. It’s a strange atmosphere. Everyone would love the atmosphere in the stadium – a proper football crowd which would be very, very different. This is a part we have to take into consideration. We cannot switch off and be in holiday mood. It might feel a bit like pre-season but it’s not. It’s a crucial match in the Nations League.”
England boss Tuchel wary of dangerous Croatia
England bounced back from defeat to Spain last Saturday with a routine 2-0 victory against a Czechia side that played for three-quarters of the game with 10 men on Tuesday.
Croatia also beat Czechia before suffering a 4-1 defeat to world champions Spain.
“We expect a difficult match tomorrow against a big football nation and a proud country – a side full of quality,” said Tuchel. “A mix of young and experienced players with a young coach. Everyone will be ready to give their all for the new coach.
“It feels like a cup game – a cup semi-final maybe. I am a huge fan of Croatia’s players. They have a lot of quality technically and big competitors. It’s a promising game.”
Tuchel conceded he was not sure what system coach Slaven Bilic would employ.
“We don’t know what’s coming,” he said. “The coach before was very fluid and switching between back four and back five. With Bilic for two matches, he has gone with a back four. But we never know. It might be a surprise.
“It makes it a little difficult because we don’t have evidence with Bilic as Croatia coach. But sometimes it makes it easier because you don’t prepare for every scenario you see. You just have two matches.
“Hopefully we can implement our style. Croatia can hurt any team and it’s important to break the rhythm and it’s basically the task for tomorrow.”
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