Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has been charged by the FA for his post-match comments following his side's 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on August 14.
The German has broken FA Rule E3 in relation to his blast at referee Anthony Taylor in the four-goal thriller with Antonio Conte's team. Tuchel was frustrated with Taylor as he felt there was a foul on Kai Havertz in the lead-up to Spurs' first goal that went unpunished.
This was before Cristian Romero was then seen to pull Chelsea's new signing Marc Cucurella to the ground by his hair inside the box - right in the view of Taylor - before Harry Kane nodded home a late leveller. It provided a spiky post-match press conference from Tuchel, who was far from pleased with the referee's performance.
Asked if it was best if Taylor shouldn't referee Chelsea again, Tuchel replied: "Maybe it would be better. But honestly, we also have VAR to help make the right decisions. Since when can players be pulled at their hair? Since when is that? And if he does not see it, I don't blame him.
"I didn't see it, but we have people at VAR who check this and then you see it and then how can this not be a free-kick and how can it not be a red card? How?"
Tuchel then suggested there was a feeling Taylor was working against his side, with an online petition going viral in the hours after the full-time whistle. He added: "I don’t think that just some of the fans think that: I can assure you that the whole dressing room of us, every person thinks that. You know the players, they know what’s going on when they are on the pitch. They know it."
A statement from the FA read: "Thomas Tuchel has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to comments that he made after Chelsea's Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur FC on Sunday 14 August 2022. It is alleged that the manager's comments in his post-match press conference constitute improper conduct" as contrary to FA Rule E3.1 they imply bias/and or question the integrity of the match referee, and or bring the game under disrepute. Thomas Tuchel has until Thursday 25 August 2022 to provide a response to this charge."
Tuchel faces his second penalty in a matter of days after his altercation with Antonio Conte at full-time. The two coaches were involved in several flare-ups throughout the draw at Stamford Bridge, before an incident surrounding their post-match handshake saw both sent off.
Another statement released by the FA on Saturday confirmed the two have been charged for "improper behaviour" at the end of the game.
