Thomas Tuchel has called on his Chelsea players to remain calm in the “middle of a storm” after a dramatic week for the capital club.
A climactic defeat in the Carabao Cup final came after a big change in the Stamford Bridge boardroom, with owner Roman Abramovich seeking to step back from his “stewardship” of the team.
Chelsea were also criticised for releasing a statement asking for peace in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while stopping short of explicitly condemning the country or Vladimir Putin, who Abramovich has been forced to deny historic dealings with.
With an FA Cup trip to Luton Town next on Tuchel’s agenda, the manager has asked his players to focus on their “love” of the game.
“In the middle of the storm, it’s pretty calm and this is what we try to have at our training ground,” Tuchel stated to the club website.
“This is what we try to instil in easier times and in rougher times so that everybody feels safe and appreciated.
“When we are together, we can allow ourselves to focus on what we love the most, which is playing football, training football and taking care about our big passion.
“This is what we do. We know that there are bigger things going on than football but still we are very privileged. There is no doubt about it and this is how we feel.”
