📣 Tuchel on Super League fallout, Abramovich and West Ham | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel has been speaking to the press ahead of Chelsea’s trip to West Ham on Saturday.

Here is what he had to say.

On the Super League fallout

“I had so much information before and after the match that I gave myself the luxury of not reading or watching any news about anything.

“So the thing is off, we know what the situation is. That’s clear.

“So it’s now for me as a coach to prepare for an important match. I’ve had enough pre-match and post-match talk about it so happy to move on.

On getting the fans’ trust back

“I think the people and fans know that it’s the credit of the owners to build a strong club in the most competitive league in the world.

“They appreciate that very well and the people can read and can divide things from one another.

“The fans expressed their opinion, they weren’t happy.

“But I don’t think it effects their opinion about what the owner does for the community, the women’s team, the academy and for the first team.”

On speaking to the board

“Nobody needs to apologise (to me).

“I haven’t spoken to the owner since I arrived.

“I’ve spoken to the club before and after the match.

“I was told we were pulling out and that was all I needed to prepare against for the next match against West Ham.

“It’s the owner’s club, it’s not my club. I am part of the club.

“It’s the club’s decision and now they’ve changed. So there’s no need to apologise to me.

“We were distracted, yeah, because otherwise it wouldn’t have made sense to focus on games.

“Me, personally, I arrived in a state of mind on Tuesday with not the usual mindset I arrive for a match.

“It’s in the past now.”

On injuries ahead of West Ham

“The team news is there is no news. Mateo (Kovacić) is still out, everyone else is ok.

“I think we can hope for Fulham. But don’t take that for granted.

“Maybe the physios and doctors will kill me for that. So maybe Fulham, which is between the Madrid games.”

Who will be in goal against the Hammers?

“Mendy will be in goal.

“The change was made for Kepa in the come game and before then me and the goalkeeper coach decided Kepa should stay one more game to have it as a reward, to get a bit of rhythm.”

“What he’s doing in training and the dressing room is simple outstanding in terms of personality.

“I’m happy he showed it on the pitch.

“He had two clean sheets in two matches so it’s a good feeling we have two goalkeepers.”