Tuchel say this player has been hiding his talent

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, in a recent statement, has said Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been hiding his talent.

This comes as Loftus-Cheek gave an impressive performance after he was introduced as a first-half substitute against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Loftus-Cheek starred in the centre of the pitch, as he scored the opening goal in a 2-0 victory at Wembley Stadium.

The English star form has been affected by injuries and inconsistency, but the versatile player has now produced three strong performances within the space of nine days.

Tuchel has called for more of the same, telling ITV Sport: “He was very, very strong in matches against Southampton and Real Madrid, he would have deserved to start but we expected a back four. We knew Ruben would have a big impact off the bench. I am very happy.

“He hid his talent and potential for a long time in his career. He is capable of producing performances that everyone sees on the pitch. For him it is step by step that he continues to grow in his confidence.”

Loftus-Cheek’s goal on Sunday was his first in almost three years, his previous strike coming against Eintracht Frankfurt in May 2019.