Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel accepts there are "many uncertainties around the situation of our club" following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Roman Abramovich, Chelsea's owner, has increasingly come under the spotlight after war broke out in Eastern Europe this week.
On Thursday, Labour MP, Chris Bryant, called for the 55-year-old to be stripped of the club he bought in 2003 as documents linking him with Vladimir Putin and ‘public association with corrupt activity and practices’ were shared in the Commons.
The Rhondda MP and former minister, using parliamentary privilege, said: "I have got hold of a leaked document from 2019 from the Home Office which says in relation to Mr Abramovich – ‘As part of HMG’s Russia strategy aimed at targeting illicit finance and malign activity, Abramovich remains of interest to HMG due to his links to the Russian state and his public association with corrupt activity and practices.
"An example of this is Abramovich admitting in court proceedings that he paid for political influence. Therefore HMG is focused on ensuring that individuals linked to illicit finance and malign activity are unable to base themselves in the UK and will use the relevant tools at its disposal, including immigration powers to prevent this.
"That is nearly three years ago and yet remarkably little has been done in relation. Surely Mr Abramovich should no longer be able to own a football club in this country? Surely we should be looking at seizing some of his assets including his £152million home? And making sure that other people who have had Tier 1 Visas like this are not engaged in malign activity?"
Abramovich has strongly disputed claims of his alleged closeness to Vladimir Putin and the Chelsea owner was not named among the Russian oligarchs facing “severe” sanctions by the UK following the invasion of Ukraine.
Yet uncertainty as to whether Chelsea will be impacted remains and Tuchel accepts he and his players cannot free themselves from those who have shared "critical opinions" of the club.
“It’s pretty unreal," he said. "It brings huge uncertainty, much more to all people and families who in this moment are more involved than us. Our best wishes, regards and thoughts are obviously with them. This is most important.
"There are so many uncertainties around the situation of our club and of the situation in the UK with scenarios like this that it makes no sense I comment on it.
“We are aware of it, we have maybe not so much insight and inside information than you might think.
"In the very end – and don’t understand me wrong – I think it’s also the right from the team and from the staff, and include myself, to be maybe not political, to do sports and to focus on sports. Not because we are hiding, the situation is clear: it’s horrible and there’s no doubt about it."
Chelsea's head coach continued: “I am aware of all these scenarios [Chelsea being impacted] and these discussions at the moment. I would love to take my right not to comment on it until there is a decision made but we are aware of it.
"It is distracting us, worrying us, and to a certain degree I can understand it. To a certain degree, I can understand the opinions and the critical opinions towards the club and towards us who, in the end, represent the club. I understand and we can’t fully free ourselves from it.
“Maybe people also understand that me as a coach, players as players, we don’t have the insight as to what is really going on. We [staff and players] don’t feel responsible for what is going on.
"We feel it’s horrible and there is not a doubt about that. War in Europe was unthinkable for me and for a long period of time. Let’s wait. The impact is clear and the discussions have an impact.
"So let’s be patient and understand what the measurements will be and then we have to, maybe, deal with it and adapt."
Tuchel was speaking ahead of Chelsea's Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday. It is one of the showpiece matches of the English football season, an opportunity for silverware to be claimed and adulation received.
Yet the Blues head coach knows it will be impossible for him and his players to fully concentrate in the build-up to the clash at Wembley with war being waged in Europe once again.
“The situation is too big. It’s not an isolated situation somewhere, it concerns Europe, it’s in Europe, and we are part of Europe. We can’t say, ‘let’s put this to the side’. It’s the opposite, we have to live with it right now. There is no running away from it, there is no shutting the doors and we focus on football.
"We are still privileged to live in peace and freedom right here where we are right now. We are privileged to have a game of football in an emotional but peaceful environment with fans in the stadium. We are very, very privileged.
"It’s a hardcore reality check right now, how privileged we are. I don’t think this will go away. My mind is clouded and it will for nobody go away because the issue is too big.”
