'He rested me, then dropped me... I was dumbfounded': Christian Pulisic opens up on bad blood with Thomas Tuchel - and credits IGNORING ex-Chelsea boss for Champions League semifinal goal.

The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager is said to have told Pulisic that he would rest for a match at Fulham ahead of the second leg of their semi-final vs. Real Madrid, only to 'change their minds' and opt for Kai Havertz in the European clash.

The American had scored in the first leg of the tie in Madrid but had to endure a substitute appearance in the second leg at Stamford Bridge, something he admits made him angry with his now former manager.

"What happened before that game was very disappointing to me," Pulisic said in his upcoming autograph "Christian Pulisic: My Journey So Far," available for purchase from him Oct. 18.

'I had a very good performance in the first leg and our next game was against Fulham in the league.

Tuchel told me he was giving me rest for the second leg and as a result I didn't play a single minute in the Fulham game.

"Then on the day of the second semi-final match, Tuchel tells me that he changed his mind and leaves with Kai [Havertz]. Honestly, I was shocked and very disappointed.

'I thought I had earned a start and, most importantly, he had previously assured me that he was going to start.

"So when he brought me in with about 25 minutes to go, he was so nervous."

Chelsea won 2-0 in the second leg to advance to the final 3-1 on aggregate, where a Kai Havertz goal sealed Champions League glory against Manchester City.

Pulisic attests that his decisive goal in his first leg would not have been possible if he had agreed to Tuchel's instructions in Madrid.