“I don’t doubt he will be a key player for us” – Chelsea star backs misfiring Romelu Lukaku with bold claim

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has backed Romelu Lukaku to come good for the club following his recent slump in form.

The Belgian has had a disappointing season so far, since his £97.5 million transfer from Inter Milan in the summer. Azpilicueta, however, believes it will only be a matter of time till the striker finally finds his feet at the club. He said:

“We can’t forget Romelu is a very important player for us. At the Club World Cup, he scored two goals, one in the semi-final and one in the final. The manager made the decision [against Lille] to have him on the bench and play other players, but he will be the first one who will want to show his qualities and I don’t doubt he will be a key player for us. Romelu will show his ability straight away, of course."

Lukaku was an unused substitute in Chelsea's 2-0 win against Lille in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. The Blues will take on Liverpool in the final of the Carabao Cup at the weekend, with the Belgian being likely to lead the line for Thomas Tuchel's side.

"Let’s see" - Chelsea boss Tuchel on Lukaku's potential involvement at the weekend.

Lukaku in action for the Blues

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel cast doubt over Lukaku's involvement at the weekend, ahead of the Blues' clash against Liverpool. When asked whether the Belgian would be start against Liverpool, the German gave nothing away about his team selection. He said:

"Let’s see. No (not thinking about the final), for today was for today. We have some players with minor injuries. We need all days to recover, we need a squad to fight against Liverpool. Every game is different. The focus today was on intensity, a high-speed game and lots of hard work against the ball, off the ball, to have intensive teamwork and Romelu has struggled in the last games a little bit to deliver that."

Lukaku has only managed to score 10 goals in 28 appearances across all competitions this season. The Belgian has failed to score in his last four Premier League appearances for the Blues, which will be a huge worry for Tuchel.