Thomas Tuchel has spoken about the talk surrounding Roman Abramovich and reports of possible sanctions against the Chelsea owner, amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Abramovich was named in parliament this week during discussions over the Government’s response to the crisis in Ukraine, with Labour MP Chris Bryant saying the Russian billionaire should no longer be able to own the London club, which he purchased in 2003.
Bryant said he had seen “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’.”
There have been reports of possible sanctions against Abramovich, who has repeatedly denied that he has close ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Speaking on Friday, Tuchel said: “I am aware of all these scenarios and I am aware of all these discussions.
“At the moment I would love to take my right not to comment until there is a decision made.
“But we are aware of it and it’s like distracting us, it’s worrying us.
“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 can understand. We cannot fully free ourselves from it. Maybe people also understand that we, myself as a coach or the players, don’t have an insight into what is really going on.
“Like I said, it’s clouding our minds. It’s clouding our excitement towards the final and it brings huge uncertainty, much more to all people and families who are actually in the moment more involved than us.
“Our best wishes, regards and thoughts are obviously with them, which is absolutely most important.
“Still 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 if I comment on it.
“We are aware of it, we have maybe not as much inside information than you might think. And in the very end, don’t understand me wrong, I think it is also the right from the team and from the staff, and I include myself maybe to the team, to not be political, to do sports and to focus on sports.
“Not because we are hiding. The situation is, like I said, clear. It is horrible, there is no doubt about it. That’s pretty much it.”
