England manager Thomas Tuchel says Manchester City players in his squad are ready to face Croatia, despite the club being found guilty of 114 financial breaches.
The case remains subject to ongoing procedures, but Tuchel said the issue had been discussed “briefly” with the players during the international camp.
“Everyone is talking about it, and nobody needs to add fuel to the fire,” he said. “Nobody needs my half-baked opinion on this topic.”
Tuchel said the players had shown in training and on the pitch that they were prepared for Wednesday’s Nations League match in Croatia.
Elliot, Andersen and Gordon have been among those managed carefully because of their recent workloads, but Tuchel said fatigue was not yet a concern. Every player trained on Tuesday apart from O’Riley, who left the camp for treatment after suffering significant pain and being unable to return to the field.
“Everyone else completed a high-intensity training session today,” said Tuchel. “We even played a 10-on-10 intra-squad match. So all other players are available and ready.”
The match will be played in front of approximately 5,000 Croatian youngsters and about 200 England supporters. Tuchel welcomed the opportunity for the children to watch professional players, but warned that the unusual setting could not affect England’s approach.
“It might feel a bit like a preseason game, but this is definitely not a friendly,” he said. “This is a crucial Nations League match, which requires us to maintain a higher level of professionalism.”
Tuchel described Croatia as a “great and proud footballing nation”, with experienced players, talented youngsters and a new coach. He said the match had the feel of a cup semi-final and singled out Baturina, who has previously scored against Arsenal, as a player England would aim to contain.
However, he warned that Baturina was not Croatia’s only threat and said England were still unsure of the hosts’ starting XI.
England are halfway through a demanding schedule of four matches in 10 days. Tuchel said he still expected his main players to carry most of the responsibility, although the pressure of the programme was likely to become clearer in the fourth game.
He expects only two days of rest after the team’s return to London, following lengthy travel by plane and bus, and said England might have to consider whether to sacrifice certain matches to preserve intensity.
Tuchel added that he would not exclude players simply because they did not play in their country’s top league. His policy, he said, was to select the most suitable squad for each camp and competition.
Croatia have changed coach since England played them in June during the Euros. Their new manager, Bilic, has used a back four in his two matches in charge, although Tuchel said a formation change remained possible.
England will retain their own style while attempting to disrupt Croatia’s rhythm and control the match.
“Once they find their rhythm, they can play at a world-class level and beat any opponent,” Tuchel said. “That is our task for tomorrow.”
