Tuchel Warns Players To Focus On Top-four Finish News

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Tuchel Warns Players To Focus On Top-four Finish

By Daily sports on May 22, 2021

Thomas Tuchel has warned Chelsea not to put themselves under extra pressure in next weekend’s Champions League final by missing out on a top four Premier League finish.

Chelsea travel to Aston Villa knowing victory will seal third place and entry into Europe’s premier competition for the 2021-22 campaign. Anything less could see them miss out with Liverpool and Leicester City both a point adrift in fourth and fifth place respectively.

The London side will contest this season’s Champions League final against Manchester City on May 29 and asked how important it would be for Chelsea to go into that game with qualification already assured, Tuchel said: “We don’t need to talk around it, for sure it takes some pressure off. I don’t think like when we arrive next week in the Champions League final that will be in any of heads. When we prepare a final in the last two days, we do not play it to make it to the Champions League next season.

“The final will be played 100% no matter what to win the cup. This is it. The side effect, of course, is a crucial one. We don’t want to play this final to arrive in the top four. We put so much hard work, quality and a very consistent amount of results into the last months that we want to finish the job on Sunday.

“We know it is going to be tough. Anything can happen in the 90 minutes. That’s what everybody loves about this game, that three teams have the chance to catch two places so the race is on.”

Tuchel has instigated a remarkable revival having also reached the FA Cup final while overseeing a climb from ninth place in the table since he succeeded Frank Lampard as head coach in January.

Around 8,000 fans were inside Stamford Bridge for the first time in more than a year to cheer for them against Leicester and Tuchel said he told the Chelsea hierarchy early in his tenure that Timo Werner and several other members of his squad will need that support to improve.

“I spoke about it with the board in one of our very first talks,” he added. “I had the feeling that it’s still a young team and looking at the characteristics of the players looking from the outside – not just Timo [Werner] but all the other young guys – that the board should not forget the influence that not having the supporters.

“Sometimes in difficult moments and in between matches can have a huge impact on a very experienced club. But it goes in all directions, it goes, it can also increase the amount of pressure that you suddenly feel when you hear the crowd moaning, when you hear the crowd not liking your actions.

“It works in both directions, but in general, my approach is that we should do everything to get our fans off the seats and to let them feel the energy and intensity that we give to matches. Let them feel our passion about the game and then they will feel their passion instantly and they will feel happy to support us even if everything is not perfect.

“I strongly believe fans don't go for the perfect game and don't go for results only. They go for the energy and for special moments and to really support when they can feel it that the team is really about football and intensity and love of the game. This is what we want to do. This is what the young guys can do for sure very, very good. From there we hope for support and improvement of their self-confidence.”

Chelsea have three players affected by hamstring injuries and all are recovering to various extents. Andreas Christensen is back in the squad while Kai Havertz will re-join team training tomorrow.

N’Golo Kante remains a doubt but is expected, at the latest, to be fit to face City. (Tribal Football)

•PHOTO: Thomas Tuchel

Source Daily sports

Posted May 22, 2021