Tuchel shares what he told 'unbelievable' £18m Chelsea man in dressing room after Atletico win
Thomas Tuchel gushed over Emerson Palmieri after he scored for Chelsea in yesterday’s 2-0 Champions League conquest over Atletico Madrid, speaking in his post-match press conference.
Emerson’s second-ever goal for the Blues rounded off a brilliant evening at Stamford Bridge for Thomas Tuchel’s swashbuckling side.
It was only the Italian’s 12th appearance of what’s been a shallow season in terms of game time.
He was only on the pitch for a matter of seconds before he completed a fine Chelsea counter-attack with an equally efficient finish past Jan Oblak.
Tuchel was absolutely delighted for his left-back and believed he earned his moment in the spotlight because of his dedication on the training ground.
RONALDO NEEDS TO STOP WHINING.
“I’m so happy for him,” admitted the Blues boss.
“The guy suffers all the time from my decisions. We have three players for one position. Marcos Alonso, Ben Chilwell, and Emerson.
“He is one of the nicest guys you can ever imagine. He is always friendly. Unbelieve qualities.
“It was absolutely necessary to reward him and give him some minutes as a thank you for his attitude.
“It’s not easy because he puts his personal situation and ego aside. He plays his role, which is to give 100%, be super professional and be super nice and never let anyone down with his mood.
“I just said him after (the game) that I am very happy and grateful for him that he could show up today. It’s a pleasure to have him.”
Last night was one of the few highlights in what’s been a frustrating Chelsea career for Emerson.
The 26-year-old has been with the Blues for over three years after signing from Roma for £17.6m (Sky Sports) in 2018.
His appearance tally stands at 67, which is way off what an established international would usually be hitting at a European heavyweight club.
Alonso had always taken precedence over him at left-back.
Following Chilwell’s arrival last summer, Emerson moved even further down the chain.
A report from Calcio Mercato stated that Chelsea would allow the latter to move back to Italy this summer, with Inter Milan and Napoli apparently interested.
But with Tuchel’s clear approval, Emerson may stick around in London for a little while longer.
