THOMAS TUCHEL revealed Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah was ‘screaming’ while having his private parts stitched after Sunday’s Carabao Cup final.
But boss Tuchel refused to rule out his gutsy defender from Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth round clash at Luton.
Trevoh Chalobah’s Carabao Cup final agony began even before Chelsea’s shootout loss after he tangled with Liverpool’s Naby Keita
Trevoh Chalobah needed dressing-room surgery after being caught by Naby Keita
Chalobah was floored by a studs-up challenge from Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita which needed urgent attention straight after the final whistle.
Tuchel said: “I could not believe what I saw after the match. There was surgery literally in our dressing room and I am not joking.
“They were stitching him up. I could not believe it. After the match, after the press conference when I left they were doing the stitches, I just heard him scream. It looked horrible.
“This is really big. I would say he has shown some balls but that would be the wrong line. He was really brave to do this. Full credit to him.”
Chalobah played on through to the penalty shootout but was furious that Keita escaped punishment from ref Stuart Attwell.
Tuchel said: “You could not look away. They had surgery, there were stitches, it was there.
“He was the only one of the team with the doctors and I heard the noise.
“Seriously it was a proper cut, very close to the area of the groin. It was open and it needed to be closed.
“I could not believe he played one more minute with this kind of injury but he played the rest of the match and scored a penalty.”
Rookie Chalobah is being hastily patched up and could play at Kenilworth Road in a remarkable show of strength.
Tuchel said: “We are working on it. He was very tough and he has my full respect.
“We have so many of the players overloaded and with these kinds of injuries I do not want to give too much information and make preparation for Luton a bit too easy. I don’t want to do it.”
Sunday’s extra-time defeat to Liverpool was the second Wembley final in a row that Tuchel has lost as Chelsea boss.
Thomas Tuchel says it was gruesome to hear Trevoh Chalobah having stitches
But the club is just three wins from a return and an immediate chance to put the physical and mental pain behind them.
Tuchel said: “We want to go back. Of course as soon as possible if you want to reach the top of the mountain, it is better to go from base camp to base camp and the next step is Luton, as boring as it may sound.
“We cannot waste any energy with feelings of revenge or that we have to prove something. The experiences of both finals was great.
“The first one, as the first German coach to be at an FA Cup final full of history, was brilliant. But the last match was even better.
“It was a full stadium and the crowd and the match was even more satisfying and I will keep it as a very positive memory because I am happy with how we played and to have the chance to be part of it.
“We are addicted to it. Everybody is. In high level sport once you have tasted it you want to have more.”
