Head coach Thomas Tuchel has claimed that Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been 'hiding his talent' throughout his career.
Having been introduced as a first-half substitute against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals, Loftus-Cheek starred in the centre of the pitch, netting the opening goal in a 2-0 victory at Wembley Stadium.
Injuries and inconsistency have hindered the academy graduate's development, but the versatile Englishman has now produced three strong performances within the space of nine days.
Tuchel has called for more of the same, telling ITV Sport: "He was very, very strong in matches against Southampton and Real Madrid, he would have deserved to start but we expected a back four. We knew Ruben would have a big impact off the bench. I am very happy.
"He hid his talent and potential for a long time in his career. He is capable of producing performances that everyone sees on the pitch. For him it is step by step that he continues to grow in his confidence."
The 26-year-old's goal on Sunday was his first in almost three years, his previous strike coming against Eintracht Frankfurt in May 2019.
Darren Plant
