Didier Drogba has backed Romelu Lukaku to move on from his struggles on and off the pitch after the £97.5m striker played a key role in Chelsea becoming world champions for the first time.
Lukaku has not looked settled since leaving Internazionale last summer, and upset Thomas Tuchel after airing his unhappiness with life at Stamford Bridge during an unauthorised interview with Sky Italia earlier this season. The Belgian’s comments did not go down well with his manager and he was under pressure to raise his level when Chelsea flew to Abu Dhabi to play in the Club World Cup.
Encouragingly, there were signs of an improvement in the Middle East. Lukaku scored the winner when Chelsea beat Al Hilal in the last four on Wednesday and he opened the scoring with a fine header as the European champions saw off Palmeiras in Saturday’s final. The goal was Lukaku at his best and Drogba, who was instrumental in Chelsea winning the Champions League in 2012, is confident that the 28-year-old can put his infamous interview behind him.
“He took his responsibility to talk and put a bit more pressure on himself and delivered tonight, scoring an important goal,” the former Chelsea striker said after watching his old club lift the trophy at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium. “Every player always has something to prove and will always want to do better but hescored the goal to give us the lead and I’m happy with this performance.”
Drogba is able to offer a good insight into the former Inter striker’s difficulties. The Ivorian was often outspoken during his playing career and was Chelsea’s main man when they first brought Lukaku to England in the summer of 2011. It is not easy to lead the line for Chelsea. Lukaku made little impact during his first spell at Stamford Bridge and expectations were high when he returned to west London last summer, but he has been unable to help Tuchel’s side challenge for the title.
“He put himself under a certain pressure because coming back to the club where you start was difficult, and you come back because you want to prove a point,” Drogba said. “But he’s winning and I think he’s going to make it.”
Drogba also revealed that he offers advice to Lukaku, who has only scored 10 goals in all competitions this season. “I hope he learned from me,” Drogba said. “He’s a goalscorer. He’s having a difficult moment, but bouncing back [and] this kind of trophy will bring his confidence back.
“When we have the time to speak I give him some advice, but after that it’s his career, it’s his responsibilities now. It’s him now. He’s in charge of the attacking players, so he has to find the ideas and make it his own story.”
Chelsea needed a late penalty from Kai Havertz to see off Palmeiras in extra time. They found it difficult against the Copa Libertadores champions, but Drogba was delighted that Chelsea have finally won every major trophy under Roman Abramovich.
“That was the ambition when I joined the club in 2004,” he said. “We started by winning the League, the FA Cup, the Carling Cup. The goal was to win trophies, but also to inspire the next generations. They knew how important this was for the club. Now I’m here and I’m celebrating with them as well.”
Chelsea’s focus now will be on a successful end to the season. They have faltered in the league of late and lie third in the Premier League, 16 points behind leaders Manchester City. Tuchel has now won three trophies since his appointment last year, though, and is popular with the club’s board.
The club hierarchy believe that the disruption caused by Covid-19 dented Chelsea’a title push and they are fully behind Tuchel. The team face Lille in the last 16 of the Champions League next week and meet Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at the end of this month.
César Azpilicueta, the first Chelsea player to win every major honour at club level, was relieved to have made up for losing the Club World Cup final to Corinthians in 2012. “This chance doesn’t come very often and we did a very good job,” the captain said. “We’ve tried to create our own history. After what happened in 2012, I didn’t think we could make it again but we’ve done it.”
Callum Hudson-Odoi, who impressed as a makeshift left wing-back, said that he is hungry for more success. The 21-year-old created Lukaku’s goal and is determined to keep progressing. “I don’t feel like a legend at all,” Hudson-Odoi said. “I’m young, I’ve got a long way to go. I’m delighted to win trophies. You keep adding and adding to the cabinet and it’s nice. But you can’t say you’re a legend at 21.”
Hudson-Odoi is pleased he decided not to join Borussia Dortmund on loan last summer. “You want to win as much as possible with a club like this,” he said. “Our aim is always to win games and win as many as possible. If I went out in the summer I wouldn’t get opportunities to play like this and win trophies. I’m really delighted that I stayed and obviously I got the opportunity to play. For me I’ve just got to give it 120% from minute one every single game.”
The youngster was reluctant to say whether he would commit his international allegiance to England and reject the chance to switch to Ghana. “Hopefully,” Hudson-Odoi. “I don’t know. At the end of the day, we will wait until that time comes.”