Timo Werner’s spell at Chelsea is typically remembered, most likely a little unfairly, as a flop.
In spite of profitable a Champions League and Club Planet Cup in his two seasons at Stamford Bridge, the German striker was generally ridiculed for missing open up probabilities.
He scored 23 aims in 89 online games for the Blues, which includes just 10 throughout two league campaigns, and returned to his earlier club RB Leipzig for £25 million very last summer time, £20m significantly less than he had arrived for.
The 27-year-old’s failure in England had always been a thing of a thriller offered his fantastic file in Germany, and considering the fact that returning to the Bundesliga has looked someplace near his very best yet again.
As Manchester Metropolis get ready for a second Champions League leg from Werner’s facet, Sportsmail can take a glance at why they must be cautious of the striker.
Timo Werner has been back to his finest considering the fact that returning to RB Leipzig last summer
What went incorrect at Chelsea?
Werner has been vocal about his struggles in West London considering that his exit very last summer.
He felt that Chelsea’s then-manager Thomas Tuchel missing all self esteem in him regardless of his position in their 2021 UCL victory, in which Werner started out up entrance as they defeat City 1- in the remaining.
‘The major issue was he put a striker like [Romelu] Lukaku in entrance of me in the second time immediately after I received the Champions League by nearly taking part in just about every video game in the very first squad’, Werner informed the Sunshine final thirty day period.
‘When you occur from the form of success I had in Germany or with Chelsea – playing nearly every single game in the 1st season, profitable the Champions League in 2021, scoring in the semi-last against Real Madrid, making a whole lot of goals.
‘Then all this will get a tiny bit neglected by the supervisor, it was not actually fair. That was also a rationale I had to shift back again to Leipzig, to get the satisfaction yet again.’
The striker’s complications were additional elaborate than he will make out. He returned six periods less targets in his first Premier League time than he did in the year prior to leaving Germany, so Tuchel was justified in bringing in a new selection 9.
Even so, Werner’s absence of self-confidence appeared to stem from by no means definitely sensation recognized at Chelsea. He was viewed as a tricky-working and straightforward striker, but lacked the conviction in entrance of goal to develop into a star for the club.
His great record at Leipzig (now 108 plans in 188 video games) has occur in a side in which he has generally been a key player.
Werner also struggled with the physicality of English football and famously stated he experienced ‘never played versus 3 huge defenders before’ following building his Premier League debut in opposition to Brighton.
He failed to impress in two years at Chelsea, scoring just 10 league aims across two seasons
The 27-year-old is now again at his old club and has managed 13 ambitions in 27 game titles this time
Again to his finest
Werner lit the Bundesliga up right before signing up for Chelsea, and most likely section of his failure in England arrived from the higher anticipations he had set up.
He passed 19 ambitions in each individual of his four seasons at Leipzig and strike 34 in just 45 game titles the year ahead of he still left.
It has been as even though he was under no circumstances away this season, with the striker already bagging 13 targets in 27 games.
He has assisted the club to 3rd in the league, and they could nonetheless have a shot at the title with just a seven issue hole to leaders Bayern Munich.
The striker scored from distance in his very first video game back again for the club, and strike a ferocious near-publish exertion on Saturday that flew in off the crossbar as Leipzig defeat Borussia Mochengladbach 3-.
For English enthusiasts who remember Werner for his struggles in entrance of intention at Chelsea, it was the end of a diverse player who has clearly received his self-confidence back again.
A European veteran
Even when he observed the heading rough in England, Werner has often been a dangerous player in the Champions League.
He netted 8 instances in 17 online games in UCL soccer for Chelsea, and scored against Genuine Madrid in the 2021 semi-final on his way to a winners medal.
The striker has 21 goals throughout 48 game titles in the Champions League and Europa League, and amazed towards Manchester City in the first leg of their final 16 clash very last thirty day period.
In a team famed for it can be interesting younger players, Werner’s successful knowledge could be very important if they are to progress in Europe.
Should really Town be concerned?
Regardless of whether Pep Guardiola wins 4 Premier League titles in five decades or five in 6 years at the Etihad may possibly be overlooked, but he will be determined to brig a European trophy to the club.
Yet another striker who forged his reputation in German football, Erling Haaland, arrived for that very reason, and will be a important existence in Tuesday’s clash with Leipzig.
Town may perhaps be buoyed by the probably absence of Lepizg’s really-rated and Chelsea-sure ahead Christopher Nknunku by way of injuries, but it will even now be a far-from easy tie.
They start out the 2nd leg stage immediately after Josko Gvardiol cancelled out Riyad Mahrez’s opener in a to start with leg the place Haaland went missing and Werner had some promising artistic times.
The Cityzens may perhaps be favourites but they arrive into the video game right after a considerably less-than convincing 1- get around Crystal Palace last weekend.
Werner performed in the initial leg towards Male City last month and highlighted in Chelsea’s 1- win more than them in the 2021 UCL last
Pep Guardiola’s aspect will need to have to be wary of the striker as they focus on a 1st European trophy due to the fact 1970
Werner faced Town in the recreation wherever they arrived closest to securing Europe’s best prize, and could haunt them again as he qualified prospects the line on Tuesday.
He comes into the game right after scoring two in his final a few appearances, and will be the major aim menace in Nkunku’s absence.
City’s exceptional losses this period have generally appear towards sides with pacey ahead who operate at their defence or capture them on the break, with the likes of Ivan Toney, Marcus Rashford and Mohamed Salah all troubling their backline.
If Werner, whose electrical tempo and stellar get the job done-fee have in no way been questioned, can adhere to their template in the 2nd leg, it could be a different night of European disappointment for Man Town.