Bukayo Saka is battling through an achilles injury, as revealed by England manager Thomas Tuchel, who emphasizes the need for careful management with the World Cup approaching.
The Arsenal forward joined the England squad in West Palm Beach over the weekend after receiving an additional week of rest following his participation in the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Tuchel extended similar breaks to other Arsenal teammates Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke.
However, Tuchel indicated that while the latter three players have returned to full fitness, Saka’s condition is not as promising. He was substituted in the 83rd minute during the penalty shootout loss to PSG, a match where it would have been unthinkable for him to not complete the game.
Earlier in March, Tuchel noted that Saka and Rice had to withdraw from a friendly against Japan due to discomfort, stating that they were playing at about 70% capacity. While Rice has since improved, Saka continues to experience challenges.
“Declan is at full fitness, but Bukayo is still in the process of recovery, managing his discomfort towards the end of the season. He is working hard but isn’t quite back to his peak level,” Tuchel explained. “He is the focus of our training management. Declan, Ebs, and Noni are all at 100%.”
“Bukayo hasn’t reached that level yet. He is missing some continuous training sessions. Arsenal has taken great care of him, and we will continue with that approach. Currently, he cannot participate in every training session throughout the week and then play,” Tuchel added.
“When Arsenal brought him back at the end of April, he was immediately impactful. They collectively decided to allow him to play through the pain, even when he couldn’t train fully during the build-up. I think it’s improbable that Bukayo will start and finish every match from here on out.”
Tuchel mentioned that Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford could fill the right wing position, but Madueke remains his primary option there. “Clarity is vital for us; players need to understand their competition,” he asserted. “We hope to keep experimentation to a minimum during the tournament.”
England is set to face Costa Rica in their second and final warm-up match in Orlando this Wednesday, before kicking off their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas next Wednesday. Tuchel faces crucial decisions for his starting lineup, particularly regarding whether to choose Rogers or Jude Bellingham for the No. 10 position. However, he wishes to shift the focus away from Bellingham starting.
“We have ample evidence that we can win matches without Jude, and that should be the primary takeaway,” Tuchel stated. “Jude is in superb form and is with us, but we must refrain from fixating on individual players. Jude cannot single-handedly win the World Cup. It’s simply not feasible. Success will come as a team.”
“I won’t engage in that narrative. You in the media can continue that discussion. We have Harry [Kane], Declan, Jude, Morgan, and Bukayo Saka. We possess a multitude of exceptional players, some of whom might be on the bench.”
“This is a lengthy tournament, and the players we select for tomorrow’s match against Costa Rica, as well as those chosen for the game against Croatia, may not be the same ones we use in every match.”
“They need to recognize that not everyone will start simultaneously all the time. They can still play crucial roles even if they aren’t in the starting lineup. They might feel disappointed or frustrated with my decisions, but they must accept them and support their teammates,” he concluded.
In their first warm-up match, England secured a narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand in Tampa, which was largely a controlled training session, with Tuchel fielding different lineups in each half. He plans to give certain players 60-70 minutes against Costa Rica, which could provide insights into his starting lineup for the match against Croatia.
However, the upcoming game against Costa Rica may not pose the challenge Tuchel anticipated. Following their failure to qualify for the World Cup, the Central American country dismissed manager Miguel Herrera last November, appointing Fernando Batista in March to oversee a transitional period, and he is expected to field several developing players against England.
“The initial plan was to face a back four in the New Zealand game and a back five against Costa Rica,” Tuchel explained. “However, the coaching change in November means the new coach has shifted away from a back five. We need to adapt to this reality. We must progress from our match against New Zealand, which was what it was, and I expect to see advancements in all areas during the upcoming match.”
