Chelsea news: Thomas Tuchel makes title admission as transfer target booed by own fans

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has admitted his side are now out of the Premier League title race after falling too far behind rivals Manchester City.

The Blues travel to Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon but coach Tuchel has already changed his side's target from lifting the trophy to simply securing Champions League football next season, with his side set to play the first leg of their last-16 tie with Lille in just three days.

It comes as club legend Claude Makelele's role in developing Thomas Tuchel's next team has come to light.

And reported transfer target Ousmane Dembele was fiercely booed by Barcelona fans during their Europa League clash with Napoli.

Thomas Tuchel says Chelsea's focus is now on finishing in the Premier League's top four after declaring his side out of the title race.

The Blues have fallen a massive 16 points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, but despite having one game in hand Tuchel has ruled out the chances of his team making a late title charge.

And the Chelsea manager has opened up on how his side will evaluate their season, and what they must do to improve their chances of lifting the Premier League trophy next year.

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Claude Makelele was a key figure in Jose Mourinho's Chelsea side – and he's now proving to be just as key for Thomas Tuchel off the field.

The Frenchman, who turned 49 on Friday, returned to the club as a technical mentor in 2019 and his influence behind the scenes for Thomas Tuchel's side is clear to see.

In his job, Makelele works closely with academy players, tracks technical performances in both training and matches while also keeping tabs on those out on loan – and plays a key role in integrating youngsters such as Trevoh