“He is the Benjamin Button of football” – Thomas Tuchel salutes ‘outstanding’ Chelsea star

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has heaped praise on Blues star Thiago Silva for his determination to stay fit despite being on the wrong side of his 30s.

Silva has established himself as a key player for Chelsea since joining them from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2020. The Brazilian helped Tuchel's side win the Champions League in his first season at the club.

The 37-year-old's contributions to the Stamford Bridge outfit were rewarded with a new contract on Monday. Silva has put pen to paper on a fresh one-year deal with Chelsea.

Expressing his delight at Silva extending his stint with the European giants, Tuchel heaped praise on his determination to stay fit. The Chelsea manager has suggested the centre-back ages backwards by labelling him 'the Benjamin Button of football'. The German said at a recent press conference:

"He is the Benjamin Button of football. I know how much effort he puts in to stay fit, taking care of his recovery, his sleep, nutrition, it is simply outstanding. The new contract makes him calm and Thiago needs to be calm. He can help so much. He has huge targets to reach."

Tuchel also provided an injury update ahead of Chelsea's EFL Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur. The former Borussia Dortmund manager revealed that Andreas Christensen is a doubt for the game while Trevoh Chalobah has also been ruled out.

The Chelsea boss also revealed that Timo Werner is edging closer to returning to action after training on Monday. He said:

"Injuries - Andreas is a doubt for tomorrow [Wednesday]. Trevoh is out and Timo trained yesterday. He feels much, much better."

Chelsea face Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Cup

Chelsea are set to face London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup. The Blues will host Antonio Conte's side at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of the tie on Wednesday. Spurs will then entertain the European champions on January 12.

Liverpool will lock horns with Arsenal in the other semi-finals. The Reds, who played out a 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Sunday, will travel to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.

Chelsea have been drawn against fifth-tier outfit Chesterfield in the FA Cup. The London giants will go up against the Spireites on Sunday.

Tuchel's side will only return to Premier League action on January 15 when they face table-toppers Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.