Former Chelsea striker Timo Werner has taken a swipe at his old boss Thomas Tuchel for 'forgetting' his success in Germany ahead of RB Leipzig's Champions League clash with Man City.
The German striker returned to Leipzig in the summer after an inconsistent two-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
The 26-year-old admitted that he had to return to Germany to get his 'enjoyment' of football back, especially after Chelsea splashed out £98million on Romelu Lukaku a few months on from Werner helping the Blues win the Champions League.
Speaking to The Sun ahead of Leipzig's massive last-16 tie with the English champions, Werner said: 'When you come from the kind of success I had in Germany or with Chelsea — playing nearly every game in the first season, winning the Champions League in 2021, scoring in the semi-final against Real Madrid, making a lot of goals.
'Then all this gets a little bit forgotten by the manager, it was not really fair. That was also a reason I had to move back to Leipzig, to get the enjoyment again. I didn't feel that any more but you need it to be successful.
'In the end a manager likes some players more than others - it's completely normal and you have to accept that. Maybe yes, in the end I just wanted out.'
Werner went from starting up front as Chelsea beat Man City 1-0 to win the Champions League in May 2021, to playing second fiddle to Lukaku just three months later.
The Blues splashed out almost £100m to bring the Belgian striker back to the Bridge, leaving Werner full of doubt over his future in Tuchel's plans.
'The biggest problem was he put a striker like Lukaku in front of me in the second season after I won the Champions League by nearly playing every game in the first squad,' he added.
He admitted that it was his 'toughest moment' to see Chelsea spend that amount of money on a striker, leaving him not feeling 'honoured' enough.
18 months later, Werner has admitted that there is not bad blood between him and Tuchel, despite him feeling like a 'scapegoat' for Tuchel's demise.
He opened up about his confidence dropping after missing big chances, while also having several goals chalked off by VAR.
Werner racked up 23 goals and 21 assists in 89 appearances during his time at Chelsea, but he was most prolific in the Champions League - netting eight times in 17 games.
The German has scored 11 times in 23 games this season for Leipzig and will hope to add to that tally on Wednesday night.
BIG-Timmy
429
Dear Werner, your hold up play was as bad as Lukaku's, that was why it didn't work out 💯 #NothingPersonal
yutcklpstu
271
Werner was not a good finisher but hard worker and chance creator. I'd take him any day than Mudryk, Pulisic, Ziyech, Madueke, Broja, Fofana
elkay23
65
He wasn't just a good player, but he was a player you could rely on especially when making those runs, sprinting off those defenders like they don't exist, he was just amazing to watch in those Chelsea colors, even the funds at the Bridge could chant and sing his name in praise, all he wanted was more game time and belief from the coach and club, what a waste of talent, Chelsea is always sending good players away, look at KDB, Salah etc.