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Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said he is unhappy at Thiago Silva‘s unavailability for Saturday’s Premier League game at Brentford and that football is being damaged as a spectacle by players being forced to play too many games.
The Stamford Bridge side have significant concerns at centre-back with Antonio Rudiger sidelined due to a back injury sustained while away with Germany and Silva unable to take part given he played the entirety of Brazil‘s 4-1 win over Uruguay in Manaus on Thursday.
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Silva is only due back in London late on Friday and speaking earlier in the day, Tuchel said: “We had our talk today about training, we had our tactical training about, he missed all that. He played 90 minutes, he has 12 hours of travelling so that is maybe the answer of his availability. He is not.
“Of course I am not happy but I knew it before when he will come back and we knew before when he travels. So, nothing new. I got used to a lot of stuff in national breaks. This is how it is nowadays.
“Are we happy about it, all the coaches, with the amount of games out players play for their countries? No, we are not. Does anybody ask us? No, also not. Does it change anything? Also, not. I don’t get angry because of this, I knew it before.
“We speak about it during the UEFA coaches meetings but the calendar is the calendar and you have to accept it. I’m not even like too frustrated about it. I don’t like it. I think it is too many competitions, too many games for the top players in the clubs.
“The game is for the players and for the spectators and the spectators want to have the top players on the pitch, they want them healthy and fit and in shape and hungry. You cannot always provide it if you play so many games in so many different competitions.
“Given the fact we only have three [substitutions] in the Premier League and not five like all the other leagues, it is a big thing which we have to cope with. But I am not actually too frustrated. Maybe it is just my body language — I know what is coming.”
Hakim Ziyech is a doubt having missed two training sessions with a headache while Christian Pulisic continues to be ruled out with an ankle injury.