Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel did not take kindly to reporters' questions over the war in Ukraine—and how it pertains to the club's Russian owner, Roman Abramovich.
During his pre-match press conference Tuesday ahead of Chelsea's FA Cup match with Luton Town, Tuchel voiced his frustration when it came to the subject.
“Listen, listen, listen. You have to stop,” Tuchel said. “I'm not a politician. You have to stop, honestly. I can only repeat it and I even feel bad to repeat it, because I never experienced war. So even to talk about it I feel bad, because I'm very privileged. I sit here in peace and I do the best I can, but you have to stop asking me these questions, I have no answers for you.”
Chelsea is coming off a penalty-shootout loss in the League Cup final to Liverpool on Sunday, but many of the story lines surrounding the club center on Abramovich in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Less than a week after he announced plans to temporarily transfer the “stewardship and care” of the club to the trustees of Chelsea’s charitable foundation, Abramovich is expected to receive multiple offers this week from prospective buyers looking to purchase the club, per The Telegraph.
But during Tuesday's press conference, Tuchel said he didn't know enough about the situation to comment on Abramovich's status.
“I have to say that's a bit too much for me to answer,” Tuchel said. “I'm not aware of any details, and I'm not aware of the whole situation. We all agree there are situations much, much more important than football, this will never change.”
Chelsea currently sits third in the Premier League with 50 points, 16 behind league-leading Manchester City. The European titleholders also hold a 2-0 lead over Lille in the Champions League round of 16.
