Tuchel says Man City's England players are worried after guilty verdict but he would still pick them

Manchester City's England internationals are going through the current camp with one eye on what may happen to their club. Thomas Tuchel admitted that the uncertainty caused by the guilty verdict for breaching Premier League financial rules is unavoidable inside the squad, and he defended that he would keep picking those players even if the punishment ended with the team outside the top flight.

• Tuchel believes it is natural for City players to feel concerned about the club's situation.
• The issue comes up at meals and the players receive plenty of messages and phone calls about it.
• The England manager does not see it as a distraction in training or in their behaviour with teammates.
• He would not rule out calling up City players even if the team were relegated from the Premier League.
• Alexander-Arnold faces a key moment to establish himself while Saka still has room to improve for England.

The guilty verdict hanging over Manchester City's England internationals

The case has unfolded during the international window in which Marc Guehi, Elliot Anderson and Nico O'Reilly are part of the England squad. O'Reilly has already returned home through injury, but the other two remain under the German coach's orders while their club faces a future that could completely change their sporting routine.

An independent panel found Manchester City guilty of serious financial breaches, a decision the club has appealed while claiming to hold irrefutable evidence of its innocence. While the appeal is resolved, the players live with the doubt of which division they will be playing in next season.

What Tuchel says about the concern among City's players

The German coach did not hide that the matter is part of the national team's daily life. He described it as a very human reaction when you do not know what is going on with the club you signed for, especially in the case of young and ambitious players who are told they are totally innocent.

If it's a distraction, I don't know. It's the honest answer, but it is of course a topic and we speak about it at dinner and at a table of eight or 12 people. Of course, we speak about it at breakfast. And I know that the Man City players get a lot, a lot of messages and phone calls and feedback about it.

Tuchel insisted he does not see that outside noise when he watches the players in meetings, in their relationship with other teammates or during training. For him, the question is not whether the issue exists, but how it could not be an issue.

Picking players from a relegated club: the manager's stance

Asked whether he would keep City's players in the squad if a punishment took the club out of the Premier League, Tuchel was clear: there is always a possibility. His priority is to build the best team for each camp, each match and each tournament, and he would not rule anyone out simply for not playing in their country's top flight.

That stance reinforces the idea that performance and suitability for the game plan matter more than the division in which a player's club competes. It is a statement that offers some comfort to those affected amid uncertainty over their future at club level.

Alexander-Arnold's big moment with England

The match against Croatia in Rijeka, which will be played behind closed doors, forces Tuchel to decide whether to keep Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back. The Real Madrid defender has never truly established himself as a regular starter for England and the manager admitted he could be approaching a now-or-never situation.

The coach explained that every camp is a big opportunity when other players are not around. For him, Alexander-Arnold's challenge is to buy into a new idea and step a little out of his comfort zone, show his true capacity and mark his territory. He added that the player is trying and that it is never too late to prove a point.

Saka still has another level to reach with England

Tuchel also spoke about Bukayo Saka, who arrives after a difficult World Cup in which he battled an Achilles injury and ended up scoring a hat-trick in the third-place play-off. The manager believes the winger looked more involved and more dangerous at the start of the season, and thinks there is still another level to come from him in an England shirt.

The coaching staff fully trust him and make that confidence felt. Tuchel said Saka feels good, knows his position and has enough experience to unlock the next step. If he is available, there is a strong chance he starts again.