Thomas Tuchel does not understand why Mike Dean waited four days to admit he made a mistake in Chelsea's 2-2 draw with Tottenham – and the Blues head says he will "survive" the touchline ban that has been down by the FA following his post-match spat with Antonio Conte.
Last weekend's clash at Stamford Bridge was mired in late controversy when Dean, who was on VAR duty, opted against punishing Tottenham centre-back Cristian Romero for a forceful hair pull on Marc Cucurella. That Tottenham scored a last-gasp equaliser from the corner that followed only further intensified the feeling of injustice on the Chelsea bench.
And after the full-time whistle was blown, a handshake between Tuchel and Conte escalated into a heated argument between the two coaches, the backroom teams of both Chelsea and Tottenham, and the majority of the two sides' players.
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The incident and Tuchel's post-match comments on referee Anthony Taylor and Dean have resulted in the Chelsea boss being fined £35,000 by the FA. He will also have to serve a one-match touchline ban, although that is currently suspended for written reasons and is also subject to appeal.
The punishment will not have come as a surprise to Tuchel. And the German-speaking prior to the FA announcing their decision on Friday evening – explained why he is ready to accept watching a game from the stands rather than his usual position on the touchline.
"I will survive it," Tuchel said during his pre-match press conference. "It is not a problem. Of course, I am prepared for it because we know about the possibility that it can happen. It is a bit harder to accept given the context that two minutes before somebody on our team got pulled by the hair. So I just made fun…if we both pulled our hair maybe we would have got away with it for a red card.
"For a handshake, the way it was it suddenly a red card, it was after the match and it was more passion than anything else, but I accepted the charge we are waiting now for the decision. I hope like Antonio that I can be on the sideline."
Tuchel added: "I will be prepared, of course. I understand there is a high possibility that I can travel with the team, go to the dressing room, be there in half time. So I’m not always sure if everybody hears me on the sideline so maybe the impact is not bad."
It was in an interview released on Thursday that Dean accepted his error in not telling Taylor to view the Romero/Cucurella incident on the pitchside monitor. Yet that has done little to appease Tuchel.
"My concern is more why it takes so long," he said. "It will not change stuff, unfortunately, but the decision is more than just a bad decision. I fully understand that in 99% of decisions, we are discussing about [things like] handball or not handball. But sometimes I don’t even fully understand the rules and there are always explanations. Is there contact? is it a follow through? Is it an elbow actively or does it run into the elbow? Is it enough for a penalty or is it not enough?
"We can discuss endlessly but it is a new level of mistake. And for such an obvious and clear mistake with such an enormous consequence immediately for the outcome of a game, it was very, very hard to accept and to understand. What I cannot understand is it takes a grown-up man, a referee, from Sunday to Friday (Thursday) to admit this mistake."
Tuchel was also critical of Taylor's performance against Tottenham and questioned whether the referee should oversee Chelsea games in the future. However, the Blues head coach insists he was not doubting the "integrity or honour" of the official, who supporters have long felt aggrieved with.
He said: "I was asked several times about it [Taylor's performance] and this was my answer. I think it is more than just a feeling. There are some statistics that underline that we struggle to get the same results with him refereeing.
"Again, we never attacked or questioned his integrity or honour. It was about this game and I think it was in an acceptable way without being personal or falling out of line. Of course, I am passionate about this club and about my team and in moments when we fight and we play a game at the level that we played it. It kind of sucks me into the matches and I also get very passionate about it.
“I will accept it [if Taylor referees Chelsea games in the future] but I just said maybe it would be better. And I stick to my words, maybe it would be better, who knows?
"I want to make it very clear I did not attack his integrity, I did not question it. I said very, very early that the two decisions were decisions for the VAR. But I was not happy with the way he whistles the game but ok. But this is what happens. This will go to the board (independent regulatory commission) and they will decide.”
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