Chelsea boss Tuchel comments on Abramovich situation
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel insists he is still “happy” to be at the club despite the financial uncertainty which has engulfed the London team after Russian owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government.
Abramovich had his UK assets frozen under a new package of sanctions unveiled by Britain on Thursday in the wake of the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
Chelsea have been granted a general license to continue operating and playing matches, but face a host of restrictions in areas such as ticket and merchandise sales, player contracts and transfers, and limits of expenditure for hosting matches and traveling to away games.
Crucially, Abramovich’s bid to sell Chelsea is also on hold and would requirement government approval so that no funds find their way to the Russian billionaire.
Mobile network Three also announced it was suspending its sponsorship deal with the club – said to be worth £40 million ($52.3 million) annually – in the hours after the sanctions were announced.
Amid the uncertainty, Tuchel and his team traveled to struggling Norwich for a Premier League clash on Thursday night, emerging with a 3-1 win which they wrapped up thanks to a late Kai Havertz goal after the hosts had threatened a comeback from 2-0 down.
Tuchel, 48, said afterwards that he was still committed to the club which he has guided to the Champions League and World Club Cup titles since taking over in January of last year.
“As long as we have enough shirts and a bus to drive to the games we will be there and will compete hard,” the German told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“I don’t know if I’m concerned but we are aware of it [the sanctions] and it changes almost every day. We cannot do much about it.
“I’m still happy to be here, still happy to be manager of a strong football team and I’m happy to play the match today. I know there’s a lot of noise around and still we allow ourselves to try our best to focus on football,” he added.
Elsewhere, it has been reported that some Chelsea players are “fearful” for their future now that Abramovich, who took control at Stamford Bridge in 2003, has been sanctioned.
In particular, those concerns are said to involve the uncertainty surrounding Chelsea’s ability to conduct transfer business, with the likes of defensive trio Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen all out of contract in the summer.
The club themselves issued an official statement prior to the game against Norwich, explaining that they intend “to engage in discussions with the UK Government regarding the scope of the [operating] licence.
“This will include seeking permission for the licence to be amended in order to allow the Club to operate as normal as possible.
“We will also be seeking guidance from the UK Government on the impact of these measures on the Chelsea Foundation and its important work in our communities,” it added.
In its sanctions statement, the UK government cited Abramovich’s supposed ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of justification for freezing his assets.
Abramovich, 55, has long denied any political or business ties with the Russian leader and has consistently rejected that there are any reasons for him to be sanctioned.
Chelsea are next in action in a home Premier League game against Newcastle on Sunday, before they make the trip to Lille in the return leg of their Champions League last 16 tie – a match which may offer the first test of the new financial restrictions imposed on the club’s travel.
