Thomas Tuchel has sounded a warning about Carlo Ancelotti's friendly relationship with referees ahead of Chelsea's clash against Real Madrid.
The Blues' only chance of silverware this term is to claim Champions League glory, although few expect them to achieve it. They are firm underdogs against Los Blancos, who won the competition last season and beat Chelsea, then managed by Tuchel, en route to the final in Paris.
Madrid won 4-3 across the two-legs with Karim Benzema bagging the winner in extra-time. Tuchel though took issue with how Ancelotti and referee Szymon Marciniak interacted after the game. The pair appeared to share a joke as Tuchel wandered over, which sounds as a warning to Frank Lampard, who is set to be in the Chelsea dugout next week as he plots a shock victory.
Tuchel said previously: "I was disappointed that the referee had a good time with Carlo. When I wanted to go and say thank you, he was smiling and laughing with the opponent's coach. I think this is the very wrong time to do this after the final whistle, 126 minutes of a team giving their heart. When you go and see a referee smiling and laughing with the other coach, it's bad timing. I told him this.
"[It's] not only today. When you play against Real Madrid, maybe you don't expect everyone has the courage. I felt the little decisions in the first leg and today as well. I didn't see the goal but I am super disappointed he didn't come out and check it on its own. You should stay the boss and not give the decisions to someone in a chair and who is isolated."
Lampard is set to take charge at Stamford Bridge as the club's hierarchy look to finish the current season before appointing a permanent successor in the summer. The former Blues boss, who was axed two years ago, will fill in on an interim basis for the final weeks of the season.
Chelsea have now faced Los Blancos in each of the last three seasons - winning on aggregate back in 2021 en route to their own European success. Last term the Spanish side were able to take their revenge in the Bernabeu.
Ancelotti has already had to defend his team's relationships with referees this year after Atletico Madrid CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin accused them of getting favourable decisions. He published a statement which suggested referees were fearful of siding against Los Blancos.
The Italian manager responded: ""I have not read the comments, though I have heard something. I don't want to talk about it. The only thing I can say is that my character is my character and I respect to all opinions."
Ancelotti also added: "But everything that is not objective can create controversy. The corruption of the 60s and 70s is gone. In general, refereeing has improved a lot across Europe."
