Thomas Tuchel defiant in wake of Roman Abramovich sanctions

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has vowed that the team will do whatever it takes to keep going in the wake of the sanctions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich.

The Blues have been propelled into financial uncertainty after Abramovich had his assets frozen by the UK government, with sponsors threatening to walk away from their contracts and the proposed sale of the club put on hold.

Shirt sponsors Three have already asked for their logo to be removed from matchday shirts, while one of the sanctions limits how much Chelsea can spend on travel to away games - a restriction that could be particularly problematic in the Champions League.

"As long as we have enough shirts and a bus to drive to the games, we'll be there and will compete hard," Tuchel told BBC Radio 5 Live after Thursday's 3-1 victory over Norwich City.

"We take it day by day. I didn't see that coming yesterday and I don't know what is coming tomorrow."

Tuchel was also eager to praise his players for showcasing their mental strength to put Norwich to the sword after a day of mass uncertainty.

"It helps sometimes to have a fixed schedule, to arrive on matchdays is what we do so often," he explained. "So this is a rhythm everyone is used to and it gives you a structure to feel safe.

"We arrived [at the hotel], had lunch together, had a little break, pre-match meal and tactical meeting, set-piece meeting, and then you go. So it helps you to be in this mode.

"Of course, there was a lot of distraction, another level of distraction actually with the sanctions. We could feel it, the players talk about it, they're aware of it. We accepted it.

"As I said, I think the rhythm, the excitement, the love for the game, in general, helps us. We allowed ourselves and demanded ourselves to work hard, to sweat it out, to work together, and it was the best thing to get the focus back and enjoy what we are doing.

"Full credit, the team showed very good character and we can be proud that they produced performances like this under the circumstances. It tells us we are right to trust them, that the attitude is right, and the culture of the club is right. So we keep on going."


Source : 90min