Romelu Lukaku is DROPPED by Thomas Tuchel for Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Lille

Romelu Lukaku was dropped to the bench for Chelsea’s Champions League last-16 first-leg clash with Lille at Stamford Bridge.

The £98million club-record signing touched the ball a Premier League-record low seven times in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Boss Thomas Tuchel insisted on Monday that Lukaku’s struggles are no laughing matter, pledging to throw his full support behind the Belgium striker.

But the 28-year-old took a seat on the bench for the visit of Lille, with Kai Havertz filling a false nine role.

Renato Sanches was fit to start for Lille, who also had highly-rated Canada striker Jonathan David in their attacking ranks.

Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle backed Tuchel’s decision to drop the Belgian, claiming that the striker’s displays have taken a turn for the worse since his ‘stupid’ interview with Italian media.

Lukaku apologised to Chelsea fans after revealing in an interview that Tuchel’s tactics were not benefitting him at Stamford Bridge, before revealing that he would like to return to Inter Milan.

‘It’s obviously a big call but I think it is the right one,’ Hoddle said. ‘He has not been playing well enough, any manager has the right to drop a player if he is not playing up to his very best and since that interview, let’s face it, he has been nowhere near his best. 

‘He has had an injury, he had that stupid interview which upset everything, it’s upset him more than anything and at the end of the day it is time to take him out.’ 

More to follow.