Christian Pulisic has been one of the main victims of Thomas Tuchel’s ruthless rotation policy since his appointment as Frank Lampard’s successor as Chelsea manager.
America international Pulisic enjoyed the best spell of his Chelsea career towards the end of the 2019/20 season, before a hamstring injury he sustained during an FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal stunted his progress.
The 22-year-old worked with Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, but their previous relationship appeared to count for little from January onwards with the German coach using the winger sparingly and often in an unfamiliar wing-back role.
Pulisic’s frustrations were compounded by Tuchel’s decision to drop him for the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, especially after he had scored the pivotal away goal in the reverse fixture, which followed impressive displays against Atletico Madrid and Porto.
‘It was very tough,’ reflected Pulisic ahead of tonight’s European Super Cup final against Villarreal.
‘I felt like I was in my best form and to be back on the bench was extremely tough. When you are in form, you feel good and want to carry on.
‘Competition here is fierce. We want to win titles. It is about keeping your head in the right place so if an opportunity comes you can still make a big impact.’
On Tuchel’s touchline demeanour, meanwhile, he added: ‘He’s always been intense, very competitive, nothing much has changed. Without the crowd noise you can hear him more but he doesn’t mean it in a bad way.’
Pulisic, meanwhile, has bravely opened up to the mental health struggles he has wrestled with over the course of the last year following the death of his grandfather, the hiatus caused by Covid-19 and the difficulties of adjusting to the demands of a new manager.
‘It was kind of building up, as it was for a lot of people,’ he said. ‘Not just living alone but everything being closed up. Covid times brought a lot of changes and things were happening in my life.
‘I was lucky that people at Chelsea and the national team steered me in the right direction.
‘It took me a while to realise that to speak up feels strong. I thought that I was too tough to need help. When it’s all on you, it can really feel like a lot. Opening up, it’s a hard thing for a lot of people, as it was for me. I reached out to a therapist and that’s not something that anyone should ever be ashamed of.
‘It was kind of building up, as it was for a lot of people,’ he reflects. ‘Not just living alone but everything being closed up. Covid times brought a lot of changes and things were happening in my life.
‘I was lucky that people at Chelsea and the national team steered me in the right direction.’
Puma have teamed up with boot customiser Silni to produce a special pair of ULTRA 1.3s that Pulisic will debut in tonight’s Super Cup final.
MORE : Thomas Tuchel explains key decision behind Chelsea transfers ahead of Romelu Lukaku arrival
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