Thomas Tuchel has spoken publicly in support of Raheem Sterling, saying he feels for the forward as his career and personal life continue to unravel. Sterling pleaded guilty to dangerous driving charges last month and remains without a club after failing to secure a move since then.

The case has already drawn significant attention. In May, Sterling crashed his Lamborghini into a metal gate after an incident on the M25 and M3. At the scene, police found six nitrous oxide canisters, and bodycam footage released in September showed him trying to move them onto the back seat after he admitted the charges.

Tuchel, who previously asked Todd Boehly to prioritise Sterling’s arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2022, believes the winger’s decline began after leaving Man City. Sterling had established himself as a major Premier League figure after breaking through at Liverpool and moving to the Cityzens in a $75 million deal in 2014. Under Pep Guardiola, he produced five straight double-digit Premier League goal returns between 2017-18 and 2021-22.

“I have a lot of sympathy for him, and I feel that he has struggled ever since he left Man City and he was at the peak of his career,” Tuchel told reporters on Friday.

Sterling scored 13 goals in his final season at the Etihad before joining Chelsea in 2022. He managed 24 Premier League goal contributions across his first two seasons in west London, but his position changed sharply after that. A loan move to Arsenal did not revive him, and he later found himself outside Enzo Maresca’s plans, spending much of his time with the Italian’s “bomb squad” before leaving the club earlier this year.

His stint at Feyenoord brought more frustration, with his own supporters mocking and jeering him. Then came the Lamborghini incident.

“It’s sad to see that someone struggles because he was a devoted father to his children and he was a family guy, a nice guy to be around,” Tuchel added.

Tuchel still believes Sterling can recover from what he called a “downward spiral”, though the evidence of the last few seasons suggests a long way back for a player who once looked destined for a far brighter end to his career.

Chelsea have been given a welcome lift with Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha back in full training, offering some relief during a period of growing concern over fitness issues across the squad.

The pair were both shown training by the club’s social media team as Chelsea prepare for their next Premier League fixture against Bournemouth on Oct. 10. Their return gives Alonso added depth at a time when selection options have been stretched.

Palestra, who was used heavily in preseason, is expected to strengthen the wing-back positions when he is available again. His versatility on either flank could prove useful, especially with Chelsea having already rotated through Jorrel Hato, Pedro Neto, Pep Chavarría and Malo Gusto in those roles this season.

Emegha’s return also gives Alonso another option in attack. Even so, the striker is not guaranteed significant minutes, with João Pedro and Danny Welbeck having both made goalscoring starts to the campaign.

While the return of Palestra and Emegha is positive, Chelsea are still waiting on updates involving several more important injury cases.

João Pedro missed the 3–0 defeat to Brentford before the international break because of a knee problem, and that issue also forced him to withdraw from Brazil duty. He is expected to be available against Bournemouth, though nothing has been confirmed.

Reece James was also absent from the Brentford defeat and later left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad. His availability for the Bournemouth match remains unclear.

The same uncertainty applies to Cole Palmer and Moisés Caicedo. Palmer withdrew from the England squad with a muscle issue and was criticised by Tuchel as a result, while Caicedo has managed only 14 competitive minutes this season because of a calf injury.

Chelsea avoided a major setback after Roméo Lavia limped out of Belgium’s UEFA Nations League meeting with France, only for the midfielder to later clarify that the issue was not an injury. The scene on Monday night briefly unsettled Stamford Bridge, where his departure after 85 minutes prompted immediate concern.

Lavia has not had an easy time physically since joining Chelsea, with muscular problems affecting his last three years. That history made the sight of him seeking attention on the ground particularly worrying. Yet the midfielder, who was excellent against France, made clear that the problem was simply fatigue and cramps.

“It had been a long time since I’d played at such an intensity,” Lavia told Belgian outlet DH . “It’s a process. From the start, I felt very comfortable; it’s the kind of match everyone loves to play. It’s all coming naturally.”

His performance was a strong one. In Belgium’s narrow 1–0 defeat, decided by Michael Olise after Lavia had already gone off, he completed all 37 of his passes and produced 10 defensive contributions. It was his first senior start for Belgium, and another sign that he is beginning to show the level Chelsea have waited for.

This season, Lavia has been available regularly for Xabi Alonso, appearing in six of Chelsea’s first seven matches and starting five of them. Even so, he is still waiting to complete 90 minutes in an official game for the club.

Chelsea’s midfield has already been stretched. Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo had previously helped cover Lavia’s absences, but Caicedo has been carrying an issue since the start of the term and Fernández has gone to Manchester City. After Chelsea failed to find a replacement, Reece James has spent much of the season alongside Lavia in midfield, though he too is now dealing with a fresh fitness problem, as confirmed by England boss Thomas Tuchel.

Lavia was left out of the disastrous 3–0 defeat against Brentford before the international break, when Jordan Henderson and Valentín Barco formed Alonso’s midfield partnership, with Henderson making his first Chelsea appearance and Barco his first Premier League start.