England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed the Manchester City financial scandal is a major topic of conversation within his squad. The revelation comes as his team prepares for a key World Cup qualifier against Croatia this Saturday.
Tuchel spoke to reporters on Thursday, a day after the Premier League announced its verdict finding City guilty of more than 100 charges related to financial rule breaches. The news broke on Tuesday, just hours before England secured a 2-0 Nations League qualifying win over the Czech Republic with goals from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.
"We had some time off, and time between the matches, it is a big subject," Tuchel said. Three members of his current England squad-Elliot Anderson, Marc Guehi, and Nico O'Reilly-are Manchester City players. O'Reilly, who assisted a goal in last week's 2-3 defeat to Spain, left the camp on Thursday to return to his club for an unspecified issue.
Despite the off-field distraction, Tuchel insisted his players remain focused on the task ahead. "They are ready to go for tomorrow. It’s what they show on the pitch and what they show in camp." he added. The manager also stated he would never rule out selecting players from outside the Premier League for national duty.
England's immediate focus is a top-of-the-table clash in Rijeka. They sit first in their World Cup qualifying group with seven points from three games, one point clear of second-placed Croatia. The two sides last met in June, with England winning a high-scoring encounter 4-2.
Croatia's squad includes City defenders Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, adding another layer to the subplot. Manchester City has lodged an appeal against the verdict, with potential sanctions including a points deduction or expulsion still pending. England will look to extend their lead at the summit when they face Croatia on October 3rd. The full schedule for the international break is available on our fixtures page.
This story first appeared at Sportsnet Soccer
