This archive report was first published on 5 January 2022.
Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku has made a public apology to manager Thomas Tuchel, the club's fans, and his teammates, following a recent interview that sparked controversy at Stamford Bridge.
On September 14, 2021, Lukaku was seen celebrating after a match, as seen in this photo by Action Images via Reuters.
Lukaku's apology comes after he was dropped from Chelsea's squad for their Premier League draw with Liverpool on Sunday, but is now in contention to feature in Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.
"To the fans, I'm sorry for the upset that I've caused," Lukaku said in a statement on Chelsea's official club website.
"You guys know the connection I have with this club since my teenage years, so I totally understand you guys being upset. Obviously, it's up to me now to restore your trust, and I'll do my best every day to show commitment on the training ground and in games to make sure we win games," he added.
Lukaku also apologized to Tuchel, his teammates, and the Chelsea board, saying that he should have been clearer in his message when he gave an interview to Sky Sport Italy last week.
"I think I should have been much clearer in my message to be honest," Lukaku said. "Because the interview was about saying goodbye to the Inter fans, it was not about trying to disrespect the (Chelsea) fans, the football club, the owner, my team-mates, the technical staff."
Lukaku, who signed a £98million deal with Chelsea in the summer, has now moved to address the Blues fans personally, just months after his transfer from Inter Milan.
