Tuchel defends Arsenal duo after England withdrawal criticism

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England manager Thomas Tuchel has strongly defended Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice after both Arsenal players withdrew from international duty ahead of the Three Lions’ friendly against Japan.

The German coach explicitly dismissed suggestions that the Arsenal pair were exaggerating injuries to avoid the fixture, stating he has “100 per cent trust in the honesty” of both players.

Medical assessments confirm discomfort

According to Football London, Tuchel revealed that both Rice and Saka underwent medical assessments at St. George’s Park, where they were found to be in “clear discomfort.” The England medical team made the decision to release the players after determining they were unfit to participate.

The manager emphasised that both players “wanted desperately to play” and were eager to be involved in the camp, dismissing any narrative that they were avoiding international duty.

“Declan was even out on the pitch. He did not come and say ‘Guys, I’m going home.’ I heard there were camps where players did not even show up with boots and stuff,” Tuchel said.

Prioritising long-term fitness

Tuchel acknowledged that while the injuries aren’t “dramatic,” they require several days of rest. He explained that pushing the players to feature in March friendlies would make “no sense” when considering the risk of long-term damage.

The England boss expressed understanding about the optics of multiple Arsenal players withdrawing, but stressed his complete trust in their honesty. He noted that Rice has been “playing through” discomfort for “quite a while” and is now at the point where continuing at 70 percent capacity doesn’t make sense.

“Declan is a key player, Bukayo is a key player, why would I take this risk? Of course I want them in my team, of course I want them to play tomorrow. But this is just not the moment to push,” Tuchel stated.

The manager acknowledged the “reality” of the modern football schedule, noting that several squad members are hitting “red flags” due to the mental and physical demands of competing across multiple competitions.

Despite missing his final opportunity to experiment before the summer tournaments, Tuchel backed the players’ need for a mental and physical break, stating he was “not upset or angry” and recognising the importance of having them healthy for the World Cup.

Arsenal will be relieved to have both key players back at London Colney to recover ahead of the Premier League run-in, with the club currently competing on multiple fronts this season.