Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has insisted it is ‘business as usual’ after being bombarded with questions over the sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich.
Chelsea have come under the spotlight, with plenty of developments happening around the club as we speak. Ever since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovic has been under the UK Government’s scanner and suffered the consequences so far.
Since the problems emerged, Abramovich has put the club up for sale. And this week things have taken a turn for the worse after the UK government sanctioned the Russian billionaire, which has implications in store for Chelsea.
Chelsea cannot sell tickets, merchandise, or participate in the transfer market as part of the sanctions. They will also be unable to renew or offer new contracts to their existing players, while the process of selling the club has been put on hold for the time being.
These are serious problems facing the club, and Thomas Tuchel was bombarded with further questions after Chelsea’s win over Norwich City on Thursday night. The manager was quoted by The Guardian, and he insisted it was “business as usual” on the pitch, although the German did acknowledge what was happening around the London club.
Tuchel on Chelsea situation: “I am still happy to be here and be a manager of a strong football team. I feel privileged”. ? #CFC
“We didn’t cause the situation, in the moment it seems like business is more or less protected, but let’s see”, he added. pic.twitter.com/gnZR6X5CnU
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 10, 2022
Tuchel said, “The evening did not feel strange,” he said. “It sometimes helps to have a fixed schedule. You use it to give you structure, feel safe, have lunch together, and have your meetings. It allows you to be in that mood. There is another level of distraction with the sanctions; we could feel it and the disturbance around it, but we accepted it. The excitement and love of the game help us.”
“The team showed very good character. We can be proud that they performed like this under the circumstances. The squad and the structure and the culture in the club is right. I did not hear them and did not understand them. It’s the first time I heard about them and I prefer not to comment.”
Chelsea cannot sell tickets for their home games, meaning only season ticket holders will be able to attend games at Stamford Bridge. There could be further implications if rules are not complied with, which could have a severe effect on their immediate future.
Also Read: Chelsea and Abramovich in limbo: What do the UK government sanctions mean for the club?
Players could leave, the manager could depart, and maybe, if circumstances worsen, the club may also be put under administration (although that is unlikely), resulting in docked points. None of those implications are clear at this point, and fans will be hoping for more news in the coming days, as Chelsea’s immediate future hangs in the balance.
