USMNT
Christian Pulisic is ‘really suffering’ after ankle injury setbacks
Chelsea’s manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed that the United States international is ‘really suffering’ as he tries to recover from his ankle injury.
Christian Pulisic has missed eight games across all competitions for Chelsea since injuring his ankle during the international window last month. The United States men’s national team player has been hit by a lot of setbacks in his recovery and the boss at Stamford Bridge, Thomas Tuchel, said Pulisic is suffering a lot.
A long road to recovery
"He got injured during a match with the USA," Tuchel said. "It was a tough foul and he hurt his ankle. There is nothing to worry in terms of that we are hiding details or not telling you details. I cannot give you all the details because I am simply not a doctor. At the moment, he has some setbacks from pain, not from major injury or from complications. It is simply the pain in the ankle that disturbs him.
"Once these players with these quick movements like Christian, once they feel this pain and are not free in the movement, the recovery is not happening, so you start all over again. You start all over again and reach a certain point and then the pain comes back and you have to do a little pause and start all over again.
Pulisic got injured during the last game of the international window of September when the United States defeated Honduras 4-1 on the road. The 22-year-old suffered an ankle injury during the match and he was replaced in the 62nd minute. That same night, Chelsea sent a private jet to San Pedro Sula’s airport to bring Pulisic back to London.
"Right now, we are very, very close. He was already so close to coming to team training last week and had a little setback and a little reaction, nothing serious, but serious pain. From there on we go,” said Tuchel in Tuesday’s press conference.
"He is very impatient, of course. He does everything and we can see him suffer in every meeting and every time we meet him here in our training center, he is really suffering. He wants to be on the pitch and help us. Everybody is doing their very best, but unfortunately, the injury takes its time."