Tuchel says Abramovich’s Chelsea move does not concern him after final defeat

Thomas Tuchel said that nothing will change for him after Roman Abramovich passed stewardship of Chelsea to trustees of the club’s charitable foundation.

Tuchel, who also defended his decision to bring on Kepa Arrizabalaga for penalties in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday,on Sunday, which they then lost 11-10, insisted he is not concerned after a weekend of drama at Chelsea. Abramovich’s move to relinquish the running of Chelsea came after a call in parliament for him to be sanctioned and was said to have been provoked by the growing focus on him following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

However the Russian, who announced the move on Saturday evening, remains Chelsea’s owner and the club’s leadership structure has not altered significantly. The charitable foundation is headed by Bruce Buck, the club’s chairman, and football decisions by the powerful director, Marina Granovskaia, and the technical and performance adviser, Petr Cech, both of whom are already close with Tuchel.

“I think it will change nothing for me on a daily basis,” Tuchel said. “This is how I understand it. I am in close contact with Marina and Petr Cech to run the first team of Chelsea football club and to give my input in this and give my very best to win football matches. This will not change with the news from yesterday.”

There was a poignancy to the occasion as the Wembley crowd stood as one before the game to show support for Ukraine. “Football stands together” was the message on the big screens before kick-off, there were Ukrainian flags in the crowd and the players of both sides came together to show unity after entering the field of play.

The action would begin only after Tuchel and his Liverpool counterpart, Jürgen Klopp, removed