Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he apologised to Conor Gallagher privately after the midfielder was denied the chance to play at Wembley on Sunday in the FA Cup semi-final.
Crystal Palace face Chelsea in an all-London semi-final at Wembley on Sunday, as Patrick Viera looks to lead the Eagles to the FA Cup final in his first season as Palace boss. But he will be without star man Gallagher as he is ineligible to face his parent club as part of their loan agreement.
The midfielder has been one of the standout players in Viera's side, and Gallagher has been one of the Premier League's best signings this season as he has flourished on loan at Palace. But despite helping them reach the last four, he will have to rely on his team-mates to make the final, and Tuchel has apologised.
Gallagher has been a sensation for Palace, and his performances have even earned him an England call-up in what has been a dream season for the loanee. But he has been denied a memorable date at Wembley as he is unable to line-up against his parent club, meaning that if Chelsea win on Sunday then his FA Cup run is over for this season.
Either Liverpool or Manchester City await Sunday's winner in the FA Cup final, meaning that there is still hope for Gallagher, but he will be unable to assist his team-mates against Chelsea. The midfielder will be a huge miss for Viera's side, and Tuchel has privately apologised to his loan star.
In Friday's pre-match press conference, Tuchel revealed: "I had the chance to speak to Conor and I could also see his frustration. We met weeks ago by coincidence in a restaurant after the international break and we had a chat, and the subject came up.
"I apologised because I know how competitive he is and I like him a lot. I know his character very well and it was a pleasure to have him here in pre-season.
"It's the way it is. We play to win the game and the rules were clear when we made the loan, and I can totally understand Patrick Viera and also the disappointment of Conor of course. But these were the rules when we did the loan and we don't want to suffer from our rules."
It will be a taste of what's to come for Palace, as the likelihood of them signing Gallagher on a permanent deal is slim, especially after the season he has enjoyed at Selhurst Park. And it will come as welcome news to Chelsea, who have had little time to prepare for Sunday's clash.
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Chelsea were rocked by an extra-time winner in the Champions League as Karim Benzema's header sent them crashing out of Europe on Tuesday. Tuchel's side played 120 minutes away in Madrid, and will face a charged Palace side who have had all week to prepare.
But one of their major goal threats will be absent, and Gallagher has scored eight and assisted three for Palace in the Premier League this season. He has also assisted twice in the FA Cup and featured in every round so far.
However, if Palace do manage to cause an upset in his absence, then Gallagher will be handed a deserved start in the FA Cup final, and if they are to squeeze past Liverpool or City to win the competition, he will be crucial. But his fate is in the hands of his Palace team-mates, although Viera will be confident after winning the FA Cup four times with Arsenal as a player.
