Thomas Tuchel claims Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante got better throughout last night’s Champions League match against Lille.
The Blues seized control of the last-16 tie by beating Lille 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in the home leg, with Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic both on the scoresheet.
Chelsea play the second leg out in Lille after finishing runners-up in their group, but it’ll take a considerable collapse not to get over the line and reach the quarter-finals.
Tuchel’s side are out to try defend their Champions League crown, something that’s historically difficult, and are proving their pedigree on the European stage once again.
Chelsea’s manager was left waxing lyrical about the performance of Kante in midweek. He noticed the 30-year-old midfielder grow into the contest, too.
The Frenchman produced an eye-catching assist in the second half for Pulisic’s goal, after a quick driving run through the centre of the pitch on the counter-attack.
“He had some problems finding his strengths and his rhythm after his injury and after he was out for some games,” Tuchel said.
“Today he was back at the top level, got better every minute throughout the game, and instantly it has a huge impact.
“But this is not a surprise. We were waiting for it for some games now and today he found his rhythm, had a huge impact and had an absolutely top performance.”
Kante still a Chelsea talisman
If Kante plays anywhere near his best, the chances are Chelsea are going to win most games.
He was dominant for large spells against Lille as his side’s box-to-box midfielder, showing he offers more than just amazing defensive attributes.
An honest assessment from Tuchel highlights the fact Kante’s been fighting to rediscover his golden touch since returning from injury.
It looks like he’s timing his return superbly well, though.
He comes alive on the big occasions on Champions League nights, so it won’t be a shock to see him play well in this Sunday’s Carabao Cup final showdown against Liverpool.
Kai Havertz, who also earned praise from Tuchel last night, is another Blues player to watch out for on the weekend.
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